September 19, 2004
Roasted Pears in Chianti
I love to cook with red wine -- Coq au Vin is one of my favorite dishes. Not only is red wine good in savory dishes, I've discovered that it is excellent in desserts as well. When I visited the U.S in April, I took a cooking class with my girlie Caroline -- Italian Countryside Cooking. This was the dessert that we made as the grand finale to a 4-hour cooking session. It is a fresh and elegant way to end a meal, and easy to prepare. You can put it in the oven and forget about it. The roasting pears give off juice and carmelize, mixing with the thickening honey and chianti. Top the pears with shavings of parmesan - the result is sweet, salty and delicate. With such simple ingredients, you can make it tonight!
Recipe --> Roasted Pears in Chianti
Slight variation: When I reproduced this dessert for a family dinner, I added lemon peel to the chianti. It added another fresh layer of flavor to an already wonderful combination. I also cut the pears in half to serve because after that dinner, none of us could eat an entire pear!
That's my installment for this 8th episode of Is My Blog Burning? - for all of the "Lift Your Spirits High" submissions, check out this edition's host: There's a Chef in my Kitchen.
