Makes 3 lb
The pears can be prepared in advance. Rapidly cool, then immediately store wrapped in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. You can also process this mixture with a blender or food processor to make pear sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter
- 3 lb peeled, cored Bosc or Bartlett pears, cut into 1/2-in cubes (see Note), tossed with 1/4 cup lemon juice to prevent oxidizing
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus as needed to adjust seasoning
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Lift the pears out of the bowl and transfer to the sauté pan, discarding the lemon juice. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place the seeds and pod into the sauté pan with the pears. (If substituting vanilla extract, add it after the pears are removed from the heat.)
- Cook, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pears are tender, about 20 minutes. If all of the liquid has evaporated and the pears are not tender enough, add 1/2 cup water, or more as necessary, and continue to cook until the pears are tender and the water has evaporated.
- Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg into a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture onto the pears and simmer until a thick sauce forms, 5 minutes. It is done when the butter starts to separate from the sauce. Remove from the heat. Remove the vanilla bean. (If substituting vanilla extract, add it now.)
- Taste and adjust the sugar as necessary.
Note: To prepare the pears, peel each pear. Cut it in half lengthwisefrom blossom end to stem. With a melon baller, remove the core, stem, and blossom end. Slice the pear in half again lengthwise, from blossom end to stem, and then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch chunks.
