Pears from the American Northwest are in delicious, abundant supply right now. Here are six different ways to make the most of them.
It’s that season. You know, apple season. Time for piling the family in the car and heading off to an orchard to pick more apples than you can possibly eat. Legions of apples taking over the produce department in the market. I like apples well enough, but I love also-in-season pears. Here are some ways we’ve cooked with them.
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Pears and Onions
Pork always plays nicely with fruit, and this dish is no exception. Pork tenderloins are seared, then roasted in the oven with pears and onions. A sauce of chicken stock, port wine, Dijon mustard and herbes de Provence finishes the dish, shown above. You’ll find the recipe here.
Duck Breasts with Pears and Shallots
For being so impressive (and delicious) to serve, duck breasts are ridiculously easy to cook. In this recipe, they’re, um, paired with sautéed pears and topped with a sauce of shallots, garlic, tarragon, brandy and balsamic vinegar.
Cauliflower with Pears, Pistachios and Eggs
For this dish, Marion sautéed cauliflower with pistachios, ham, sage and pears, then topped everything with a fried egg for a weeknight-quick dinner. You can add or subtract various ingredients and to create a side, a vegan meal or a pasta dish.
Baked Pears with Currants and Walnuts
Sure, you can bake apples. But pears put a sweet, unexpected twist on this traditional fall dessert. In this recipe, they’re baked with dried currants, walnuts and cinnamon.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin stuffed with Mushrooms and Pear
Still firing up your grill? Good. Stuff a butterflied pork tenderloin with sautéed mushrooms, pear, shallots and sage, then grill it for an earthy, smoky, heavenly meal. You’re welcome.
Roast Duck with Apples, Pears and Potatoes
If cold weather is seriously settling in, fight back with this hearty, satisfying dish. Fire up the oven and roast a whole duck. Oh, and roast apples, pears and potato wedges alongside it in the duck fat.
Pears never seem to get the love apples do, alas. Too bad — their flavor is more interesting, IMO. Of course they’re really only good in season, whereas apples store pretty well so we eat them all year round. Good roundup of recipes. And you’ve reminded me it’s time to cook some duck again!.
I agree with John. Every time I actually have a pear I’m happy about it, but yet I never buy them at the store. Will make the cauliflower recipe this weekend.
Actually, John, pears’ season lasts a very long time. As I said in another post some time ago, pears ripen best off the tree, so they’re picked when mature, but not ripe, and kept in cold storage. While in cold storage, they don’t ripen, but do continue to convert starches to sugar, improving their flavor as they essentially hibernate. Once they show up on your supermarket’s non-refrigerated shelves, they begin to ripen. So up until late spring, the pears you see in the market will be US-grown and in season. Only after that will they be imports from Chile and other places.
Anita, Marion’s cauliflower dish was delicious. And any time you can put an egg on something, that’s a plus to us.
Can’t wait to try the pork tenderloin recipe! So glad you are here!
Thanks, Evi! I still miss your blog. Hope life is going well for you and your family.
Sorry I’m late to the party ~ pears are one of my favorite fruits so I definitely will be adding at least three of these recipes to my list of “Terry and Marion’s Recipes To Make.”