Sunday, December 23, 2012

Carmela Soprano's Pears al Vino Bianco / Pears in White Wine

Christmas parties are fun.
Full of good cheer and calories.
Yes, Christmas calories are the gifts that stay with you.

Back to Jennifer's chapter Rage, Guilt, Loneliness, and Food in 
Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.
Leave it to Doctor Melfi to have a classy, lower calorie dessert.


Don't make an extra trip to the store.
A teaspoon of lemon extract and a tablespoon of vanilla extract can work, too.
There's enough stress from the rage, guilt, loneliness, and food of the season.


                        Pears al Vino Bianco

Serves 6

Working from the bottom with a small spoon or melon baller,
scoop out the core and seeds from
6 firm Bosc or Anjou pears

In a dutch oven (or a pot large enough to hold the upright pears) combine
1 1/2 Cups dry white wine
1/2 Cup water
3/4 Cup sugar
2   2-inch strips of lemon zest
1 vanilla bean
Bring to a simmer, over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the pears and reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and simmer 10 minutes. 
Turn the pears once so they coat with the syrup.
Simmer another 10 minutes.

Place the pears in a serving dish.
Turn the heat under the pot to medium high and cook the syrup 10 minutes,
until thickened and golden.
Pour the syrup over the pears.
Let cool slightly.  Cover and chill.


Would I make Pears al Vino Bianco again?
Sure.  Heavy winter meals sometimes call for a light dessert.
Pears are in season.
And this dessert can be prepared in advance.


One recipe down.  Sixty-three more to go. 

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