Ginger Almond Pears:
Pears are one of the few fruits that actually improve in texture and flavor after being picked a little green. You can store them in a paper bag for a couple days to speed up ripening. A little softness around the stems and a change in skin color means they're ready.
For this recipe, Bartletts, red Bartletts, or Anjou varieties have the best flavor and are good for cooking. When the time comes for thickening the pear sauce, I prefer arrowroot over cornstarch. Arrowroot comes from a tropical tuber whose root stalks are dried and ground into a fine starchy powder that's very easy to digest and lacks the chalky taste you sometimes get with cornstarch.
The most potent ingredient in this dessert, and the one that gets it into my cookbook, is the ginger. Ginger, Zingiber officinale,is known throughout the world for its tonic and spiritually uplifting properties. When used fresh, it's especially effective at improving digestion and calming nausea and indigestion -- making it a great follow-up to any hearty meal.
5 firm ripe pears
3 cups apple cider
2 tsp finely chopped fresh gingerroot
3 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp pure almond extract Salt to taste
1. Peel the pears, quarter them lengthwise, and core. Slice pears thinly and place in a saucepan with the apple cider and gingerroot. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pears are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Dissolve arrowroot starch in 1/3 cup cold water and add to the simmering pears, stirring, until the sauce is thick and clear.
4. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Serve warm or cold.