I call this “company food”—as in, what can I make for company that’s easy but impressive? Poaching a pear sounds fancy, but all you’re doing is simmering it in a fruity broth. The poaching softens up the pear, making it a breeze to chew and digest. The Saffron Broth turns the pears a beautiful sunset yellow color. Or if you prefer, check out the vanilla and star anise variations below. All three are light, refreshing, and nourishing; if you’re looking for extra calories, top with a generous dollop of nut cream.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Saffron Broth:

4 cups pear nectar

　　1/4 teaspoon agave nectar

　　Zest of 1 lemon, in long pieces

　　4 inches peeled fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

　　4 teaspoons maple syrup

　　Generous pinch of saffron (12 to 15 threads)

　　2 ripe but firm pears, preferably Bosc or Comice, peeled, cut in half, seeded, and stemmed

　　Pistachio Cream (page 181) or Cashew Cream (page 180), for serving (optional)

　　

Step 1

To make the broth, stir the pear nectar, agave nectar, lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron together in a large saucepan or 3-quart sauté pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then place the pear halves in the saucepan, flat side down. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pears and cover with a small plate to weight the pears down as they simmer. Lower the heat and simmer until the pears are tender and a knife pierces them all the way through without resistance.

　　

Step 2

Remove the pears from the saucepan. Return the liquid to the heat, bring to a lively simmer, and cook until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Taste the liquid for a quick FASS check. It may need a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the flavors.

　　

Step 3

Serve the pears drizzled with the poaching liquid and topped with a dollop of nut cream if you like.

　　

variation

Step 4

For vanilla broth, omit the lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron, and instead stir 2 teaspoons of agave nectar into the pear nectar. Cut a vanilla pod in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the saucepan, then throw in the pod. Proceed with the recipe as above.

　　

Step 5

For star anise broth, omit the lemon zest, ginger, maple syrup, and saffron, and instead stir in 4 pods of star anise, 4 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, and 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Proceed with the recipe as above.

　　

rebecca’s notes

Step 6

To seed and stem a pear beautifully, once it’s cut in half, use a melon baller to scoop out the center, making sure to remove all of the seeds. Then use a sharp paring knife to make a small angled slice on each side of the core, running out from the center of the pear to the stem. This will remove a clean and even triangle-shaped piece where the stem and the core had been.

　　

Step 7

You can garnish the pears with the solids from the broth. Lemon peel, vanilla pods, star anise pods, and cloves all make beautiful garnishes.

　　

storage

Step 8

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

　　

nutrition information

Step 9

(per serving)

　　

Step 10

Calories: 225

　　

Step 11

Total Fat: 0.2g (0g saturated, 0 g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 12

Carbohydrates: 59 g

　　

Step 13

Protein: 1g

　　

Step 14

Fiber: 4g

　　

Step 15

Sodium: 15mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.