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Les Poires Belle Helen


Pears a la Port

  1. Peal the pears and cut them in half. Use a knife or a spoon to cut out the center leaving what should work as a bowl.

  2. Pour your port into a deep sauté pan (not a fry pan cause you need the sides to be high) and bring to a low boil.

  3. Move pan to low heat and submerge the pears in the port. Simmer this for 25-35 minutes (depending on pear ripeness) and let pears cool in port.

  4. Melt your chocolate how you like (I like to use a make-shift double boiler) 5 minutes before serving.

  5. Place pears on a desert plate (or a bowl depending on how fancy you’re feeling) and put a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. Spoon the warm melted chocolate on top and serve.

Tips:

Start poaching the pears early - I usually start while cooking dinner.

Keep heavy cream handy in base you botch the chocolate and it cools too early - helps to melt down re-hardened chocolate.

Some people use water, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla to poach instead and mix brandy into the chocolate - not as good.

By Ted Alcorn

Ingredients
5 servings

  • 5 or so pears (relatively firm)
  • 1 bottle cheap/okay Port
  • 8 oz. (or so) semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 tub of good vanilla ice cream