Poached Pears With Grand Marnier Custard Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 large lemons
• 6 slightly underripe pears
• 3 cups cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 inch vanilla bean
• thin strips orange zest
• grand marnier custard, sauce (recipe is in my cookbook)

Recipe

• 1 make grand marnier custard sauce.
• 2 for pears: squeeze juice from 1 ½ of the lemons; measure and reserve 3 tblsps of the juice.
• 3 add remaining juice to large bowl of cold water.
• 4 using corer or small, thin-bladed knife, core one pear, leaving stem intact, through the blossom end.
• 5 pare and place in acidulated water.
• 6 repeat with remaining pears.
• 7 mix 3 cups water and sugar in saucepan large enough to hold all the pears.
• 8 heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until sugar dissolves and liquid begins to boil.
• 9 stir in reserved lemon juice.
• 10 drain pears and place in simmering syrup.
• 11 cook uncovered, turning carefully occasionally, over medium heat until tender, 35-45 minutes.
• 12 remove from heat.
• 13 cut 4 very thin slices from remaining lemon half.
• 14 add vanilla and lemon slices to poaching liquid.
• 15 cool to room temperature.
• 16 refrigerate, covered, until cold.
• 17 remove pears with slotted spoon to individual dessert plates; spoon custard sauce over pears; garnish with orange zest.