Poached-Pear Slush

A frozen form of the classic poached pears in red wine, with a deep, refreshing flavour; perfect as an appetiser or palate-cleanser. Pears contain pectin, a natural gelling agent that, along with the wine's residual alcohol, keeps the slush's texture soft and loose, grainier than a sorbet but less icy than a granita. Choose an inexpensive but full-bodied Merlot or Pinot Noir for this.

Serves 8-10 as an appetiser or 4-6 as a dessert
Prep time 10 mins + freezing time Cooking time 20 mins

825g canned pears in syrup
400ml red wine
70g sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 fresh bay leaves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
3 cloves
grated zest of 1/2 orange
grated zest of 1/2 lemon



1 Drain pears and set syrup and fruit aside seperately.

2 Combine pear syrup, wine, sugar, cinnamon and bay leaves in a pan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 mins, then add peppercorns and cloves and simmer 5-10 mins more, or until liquid has reduced by about 1/3. Stir in citrus zests. Let syrup cool.

3 Blend pears in a food processor or mini-chopper until smooth. Strain syrup into pear puree and mix well. Pour into a metal tray or cake tin. Cover with foil and freeze for about 4 hours; after 1 hour, stir well with a large fork every 45 mins. The finished slush should have a slightly grainy texture. Serve in chilled bowls.




Extracted from HerWorld / June 2006