{"id":781,"date":"2010-12-03T06:24:09","date_gmt":"2010-12-03T14:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=781"},"modified":"2011-01-27T14:21:15","modified_gmt":"2011-01-27T22:21:15","slug":"fruit-is-dessert-french-cooking-recipes-simple-pleasures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/fruit-is-dessert-french-cooking-recipes-simple-pleasures","title":{"rendered":"fruit is dessert"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

fruit is dessert<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Children today do not consider fruit to be dessert.\u00a0 To them, cake, ice cream, or a piece of pie is dessert and adults\u2018 ideas of what constitute dessert is no different. \u00a0 However,\u00a0 it is our routine and excess consumption of added sugar (sugar found in these commonly thought of desserts) that is ruining our health and the health of our children.\u00a0 The American Heart Association (<\/span>www.heart.org\/HEARTORG<\/a><\/span>)<\/a> estimates that one of three American children is overweight or obese which is causing children to have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and elevated blood cholesterol levels.\u00a0 The statistics for adults are no better.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you consuming excess added sugar?\u00a0 The AHA recommends that women consume only 24 grams (100 calories) of added sugar per day which is equal to 6 teaspoons <\/span>(or 2 tablespoons<\/span>).<\/span><\/em> The recommendation for men is 36 grams (150 calories)\u00a0 per day which is equal to 9 teaspoons <\/span>(or 3 tablespoons<\/span>). <\/span><\/em> For reference,\u00a0 a\u00a0 3 1\/2 ounce piece of chocolate cake has approximately 428 calories,\u00a0 38 grams of sugar, 16 grams of fat, and 73 grams of carbohydrates.\u00a0 While by no means am I advocating the elimination of chocolate cake, we need a reminder that fruit is <\/span>dessert<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>This week\u2019s simple pleasure is pears poached in red wine and brewed chai tea.\u00a0 Pears are in season and they store well. \u00a0 They are nutrient dense with fiber, no saturated fat and no cholesterol, and a\u00a0 3 1\/2 ounce pear contains only 58 calories.\u00a0 Although fruit is typically poached in simple syrup (equal amounts of granulated sugar and water) combined with spices and sometimes wine, my recipe is different.\u00a0 The poaching liquid is a combination of the pears\u2019 peels, brewed chai tea, red wine, reduced apple cider, spices, and only one tablespoon of agave nectar<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This dessert is simple to make.\u00a0 It takes 20-30 minutes to poach the pears.\u00a0 The pears can be served warm or at room temperature.\u00a0 They can be served out of the pot you poached them in or out of a large bowl and spooned into shallow soup bowls with some of the poaching liquid.\u00a0 You can also reduce the poaching liquid down to a syrup and spoon it over the pear. \u00a0 As an added bonus, the pears can be stored in the refrigerator in their poaching liquid for a few days, making it a great dessert to do ahead of time and have on hand. \u00a0 When you do store them, they become a deeper rose color going perfectly with the autumn season.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>A quick note about the ingredients.\u00a0 Use a quality chai tea preferably loose leaf (it was actually the delicious chai tea at Caffe Luxxe which inspired me to write this recipe).\u00a0 The wine you use should be mild and fruity, I recommend something from the Loire Valley if you can find it.\u00a0 When deciding how much money to spend on the wine my general rule is that you should use a good wine that you want to drink, but not one that you would sip and savor.\u00a0 Lastly, use ripe pears (without soft spots or bruises) that are still firm but slightly give at the neck when pressed on.\u00a0 Pears should not be purchased soft unless you are going to use them immediately (pears decline rapidly).\u00a0 Rather, chose pears that are firm, put them in the refrigerator for a couple of days, then store them at room temperature in a brown paper bag. \u00a0 Do not use Asian pears for this recipe because they are too juicy and crisp and their best attributes will be lost.\u00a0 Rather, use European pears.\u00a0 Bosc pears (with their elegant long necks) and\u00a0 Seckel pears (also called sugar pears which are sweet and a perfect size) are my favorite. \u00a0 However, I also use Comice pears (Doyenne du Comice) and d\u2019Anjou pears (Beurr\u00e9 d\u2019Anjou) although of the two I prefer the taste of the Comice for this recipe because of their winey overtones. \u00a0 Simple.\u00a0 Easy.\u00a0 Delicious.\u00a0 Dessert is served.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Je vous souhaite un bon app\u00e9tit<\/span> <\/span><\/em>!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

LM<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

pears poached in red wine and chai tea<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

stats<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Yield<\/span>:\u00a0 6
\n<\/span>Serves<\/span>: \u00a06 <\/span>(3 1\/2 ounce pear with poaching liquid)
\n<\/span>(approximately 108 calories per serving)<\/span><\/p>\n

what you need<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4-6\u00a0 Seckel or Bosc pears, peeled (stems attached)
\n<\/span>pear peels, reserved
\n<\/span>lemon juice (as needed)<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>poaching liquid<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2 cups brewed Masala Chai Tea
\n<\/span>2\u00a0 cups red wine
\n<\/span>1 cup reduced apple cider (reduced from 2 cups)
\n<\/span>1 tablespoon light agave nectar<\/span><\/p>\n

sachet<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1\/2 vanilla bean
\n<\/span>orange peel
\n<\/span>2 whole cloves
\n<\/span>4 white cardamon pods
\n<\/span>1 cinnamon stick
\n<\/span>1 bay leaf<\/span><\/p>\n

how to<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n