Beetroot Poached Pears Recipe

Prepare beetroot

Trim beetroot greens, scrub beets well. On a rimmed baking sheet, wrap each beetroot loosely in foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 45–60 minutes until tender when pierced with a skewer. Let cool, unwrap and slip off skins using a paring knife or paper towel. Reserve the roasted beets and chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Make poaching syrup

In a wide, deep saucepan or sauté pan large enough to hold pears in a single layer, combine 4 cups water, 1 cup dry red wine, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons honey, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Add the chopped roasted beetroot, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed cardamom pods, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf and sliced ginger. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and honey.

Reduce and infuse

Lower heat and simmer the poaching liquid uncovered for 15 minutes to allow color and aromatics to infuse and the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity with more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Strain and reserve both liquid and beet pieces separately: pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan and discard whole spices. Reserve the strained beet pieces for optional garnish or to puree into the syrup for deeper color (see note).

Prepare pears

Peel each pear from just below the stem to the base, leaving the stem intact if desired for presentation. Using a melon baller or small spoon, core pears from the bottom about 1 inch up without splitting them, so centers are cored but pears remain whole. Rub peeled pears with the cut side of the lemon to prevent browning.

Poach pears

Place pears upright in the saucepan with the strained beet-red poaching liquid. Add extra water if needed to just cover the pears. Bring liquid to very gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce heat so the surface barely bubbles. Poach pears until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15–25 minutes depending on ripeness and size. Turn pears occasionally so color takes evenly—use a spoon to baste them with the hot liquid.

Cool and rest

When pears are tender, carefully remove them with a slotted spoon to a shallow dish. Let poaching liquid return to a simmer and reduce by about one-third over medium heat until slightly syrupy (5–10 minutes). For deeper color, whisk or puree reserved beet pieces into the reduced syrup and strain again to remove fibers. Pour hot syrup over pears to coat. Allow pears to cool in the syrup at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) to fully absorb color and flavor.

Warm and glaze (optional)

If serving warm, gently reheat pears in the syrup over low heat to warm through, then remove pears to a serving platter and simmer syrup until lightly thickened. Whisk in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter off the heat to give a glossy finish to the syrup.

Plate

Place one pear per plate upright or laid on its side. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the beet syrup over each pear. Scatter 1 tablespoon toasted chopped walnuts or pistachios around pears. Dot each pear with 1 tablespoon crumbled ricotta salata or a small spoonful of mascarpone. Sprinkle a pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) sea salt and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves over the top to balance sweetness and add freshness.

Serve

Serve pears chilled or slightly warm. Leftover syrup keeps covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days and can be reheated to poach more fruit or used as a sauce for ice cream or yogurt.