Pears are high in fibre, can be used in savoury and sweet cooking, and are a treat when soaked in red wine. Every year about 130,000 tonnes of pears are grown in Australia and in March they'll be celebrated during the inaugural Australian Pear Month.
With pear season kicking off, now is also a good time for home cooks to get in on the act.Nick Kennedy, chef of Glebe Point Diner in Sydney, says there's a number of ways pears can be used in cooking. They can be matched with salted nuts and cheeses, such as goat's curd or blue varieties.
"Because of their sweet qualities they like to be balanced with things that are also salty," Kennedy, 31, told AAP. "They also lend themselves well to bitter things, such as bitter greens like radicchio."
Kennedy recommends using pears in salads, while for dessert he suggests making pear tarts or poaching them in red or white wine, or rose. Poaching is an easy skill to grasp, he said, and well-ripened fruit is best, as they'll poach quickly and taste better.
The best way to check when your poached pear is ready is by cooking an extra one for the chef to test. A floral aroma wafting from the pot will also signal the fruit's cooked.A common mistake cooks make is trying to poach too many pears at one time. Preparing and peeling a large number can lead to them turning brown, as apples do.If you are cooking for a big group, Kennedy suggests working quickly and using acidulated water (with lemon).
Pears also work well as a palette cleanser and can be used as a sorbet between courses. At Glebe Point Diner, Kennedy has made a pear mustard, which is candied with sugar but also has bite from the ground mustard seed.
"So we've preserved them for about a year; they go really well with pate and terrines," he said.
Preserving pears is complex, said Kennedy, and it is best to give it a miss unless you are an accomplished home cook.There are a number of pear varieties for cooks to choose from, with major types including Williams, Nashi, Packham's Triumph, Beurre Bosc, Corella, Sensation, Red Sensation, Winter Cole and Winter Nelis.
The Williams pear is now in season and is often confused with the Packham's Triumph pear, which is available from May.The difference in appearance is that Williams turn a golden colour, while Packham's Triumph remain green throughout the ripening process. Williams pears account for 47 per cent of Australia's crop. They have also been grown in Australia for more than 120 years and, with an abundant crop this year, are sure to grace gourmands' plates across the country.
Cook Maggie Beer grows her own pears and says we should support our domestic market."The quality, flavour and freshness of Australian produce is second to none," she said."Where possible Australians should buy Australian produce and support the local industry.
"I am lucky enough to have my own pear orchard, but with pears in season now everybody is able to enjoy this versatile fruit in endless savoury and sweet combinations."
TIPS FOR COOKING AND BUYING PEARS
- The Williams variety is high in fibre, helping lower cholesterol.
- Pears also have a low glycaemic index (GI), making them an ideal nutritious snack to keep you going all day.
- Generally sold unripe, they continue to ripen off the tree meaning you should buy them a few days ahead of when you want to eat them.
- The Williams pear is available now until May, while varieties including Red Sensation, Berre Bosc and Winter Nelis are available in March.
- The major variety of Nashi pears, the Nijisseiki, is available from March to October.
- About 90 per cent of Australia's Nashi production comes from Victoria's Goulburn Valley and some 20 commercial growers operate throughout the country.
(Sources: Australian Nashi Growers Association; Australian Pear Industry)
RECIPE FOR UPSIDE DOWN PEAR PUDDING WITH VANILLA CUSTARD
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
3 Beurre Bosc pears, peeled, halved and cored
1 cup caster sugar
3 cups water
3 tbsp soft brown sugar
175g soft unsalted butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sifted self-raising flour
1 tsp sifted baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
100g ground almonds
Vanilla custard to serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 23cm cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
Put the caster sugar and water into a saucepan and gently cook until the sugar dissolves.
Add the pear halves to the pan. Gently cook the pears for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from the syrup using a slotted spoon and cool. Throw away the syrup.
Sprinkle the cake tin with the brown sugar and arrange the pears cut side down over the sugar.
In a large bowl cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, along with 1 tablespoon of flour, beating well between each addition. Fold through the remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon and almonds.
Spoon over the pears and smooth the surface. Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean. Remove from the oven and carefully turn out onto a serving plate.
Cut into slices and serve with vanilla custard.
By Jennifer Ennion
