Pears take on a golden color and a deep flavor when you baste them with a combination of honey, butter, and spice while they’re roasting. Serve these warm with ginger ice cream or whipped mascarpone cream. Recipe adapted from my cookbook Fresh From the Farm.
Makes 6 roasted pear halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
- 3 small firm-ripe pears (6 to 7 ounces each), peeled, cored, and halved
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Choose a 1 1/2- to 2-quart shallow baking dish that fits the pear halves comfortably but does not leave too much room around them. Butter it lightly. Arrange the pear halves, cut side up, in the baking dish. Sprinkle each with just a pinch of salt.
2. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the honey, cardamom, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the honey has loosened and the mixture is warm. Use a basting brush to brush the tops of the pears with some of the honey butter.
3. Bake the pears for 10 minutes, baste again with some of the honey-butter (rewarmed to loosen if necessary), and bake for 10 minutes more. (If your pears are on the larger size, bake for 5 to 10 additional minutes on this side.) Gently turn the pears over, baste with some of the butter and some of the pan drippings and cook for 15 to 20 minutes longer, basting after 5 minutes and again every couple of minutes. (When you baste, be sure to “wash” the bottom and edges of the pan with the pastry brush to prevent burning. If the pan is getting too dark, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water and “wash” the pan juices again.) Cook until the pears are nicely browned all over and caramelized around the edges (you can peek underneath with a very thin spatula). Let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a plate. Keep well covered in the fridge for up to several days.
This recipe was originally published with the article, The Local Buzz.
