This is an elegant, if unexpected marriage of flavors. Both sweet and sour this dessert will certainly hold your attention.
serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 4 cup cool water
- 1 cup moscato dessert wine
- .75 cup sugar
- ¼ cup apricot jam
- 4 firm bosc pears
- 6 large celery ribs, peeled and cut diagonally into ½‑inch pieces
Directions
Place the oven rack in the center position of the oven. Pre-heat to 375 degrees F.
Using a vegetable peeler remove zest from lemons in thin long, wide bands. Avoid as much of the white pith as possible. In a small saucepan cover the strips of zest with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil drain the strips and rinse them in cool water. Refill the pan and repeat once more. Pat the zest dry.
Squeeze ⅓ cup lemon juice into a bowl, whisk in wine, sugar, and jam until sugar is dissolved.
Halve the pears lengthwise and, using a melon-baller,core the pears.
Spread out celery slices across the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour in wine mixture. Place pears cut side up. Spread zest over and around them. Bake uncovered for 50–60 minutes, basting once or twice.
Transfer the pears to a shallow serving bowl, pour liquid, zest, and celery into a medium-sized saucepan and reduce the liquid until syrupy, about 15 min.
Pour the celery mixture over the pears and allow to completely cool. Serve at room temperature.
