Poached Seckel Pear With Pomegranate Cabrales Cheese And Szechuan Pepper Ice Cream Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, whisk together Merlot (reserving 2 cups), star anise, cinnamon stick, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
• Add pears and remaining 2 cups of Merlot. Allow pears to cook in the wine and flavorings, simmering at a low boil.
• In a small bowl, whisk together mascarpone, sugar, and cream. Add fresh mint, if desired.
• Place a dollop of mascarpone cheese onto each plate. Top with 1 or 2 pears and serve.

Steps:

• Szechuan Pepper Ice Cream
• 1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and peppercorns and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.
• 2. Strain the milk mixture and return it to the saucepan. Reheat until the mixture just begins to boil. Remove from the heat.
• 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar vigorously until pale. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, then return this mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 175°F (79°C) on an instant-read thermometer; do not let the mixture boil, or the egg yolks will curdle. Remove the pot from the heat. Pass the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set the bowl in an ice bath and stir frequently until cold. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours.
• 4. Process the base in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions (be careful not to overchurn the ice cream or it will become grainy). Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
• Poached Pears with Pomegranate
• 1. In a medium saucepan, bring the pomegranate juice and black pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pears and reduce the heat to medium-low. Poach the pears in the simmering juice until tender, about 15 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature.
• 2. Transfer the pears, still in the liquid, to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Pomegranate Sauce
• Pour the poaching liquid in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil the liquid until it has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Pass the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and cool.
• Baked Almond Diamonds
• 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy and well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the almond flour and mix until blended. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour and mix until blended. Scrape the almond mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely.
• 3. Using a 2-inch-long by 1-inch-wide diamond-shaped pastry cutter, cut out 8 diamonds of baked almond cream. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Assembly
• Cut each Poached Pear with Pomegranate in half crosswise and remove the cores from the bottom halves. Place each pear bottom standing up on a plate and top with a slice of Cabrales cheese. Replace the pear tops. Glaze the pears with some of the Pomegranate Sauce, letting some of the sauce drip onto the plates. Place a Baked Almond Diamond on each plate and top with a scoop of Szechuan Pepper Ice Cream.

Steps:

• For the granite, combine the water, cloves and light-brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the cloves and stir in the vinegar. Pour into a shallow metal pan and place in the freezer. Freeze until firm but not frozen solid, about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
• For the pears, combine the wine, cloves, honey and nutmeg in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the lemon and orange slices and the pears. Cover and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pears and fruit slices with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Raise the heat and simmer the poaching liquid until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Coat 4 plates with the poaching liquid and place 3 pears in the center of each plate. Arrange the orange and lemon slices around the pears and place a scoop of the granite beside them. Serve immediately.