vanilla roasted honey pears

It has been incredibly cold here this week. All of a sudden we were plunged into the winter that we have been fearful must be just around the very next corner. No chance to thicken the blood, just all of a sudden it is not a balmy (unseasonal) +12 Celsius but a very, very unpleasant (all-too-seasonal) -30 C. Literally overnight. Suddenly winter salads - healthy though they may be - are simply not cozy enough. This brand of cold demands warm and fragrant. Comforting foods. Roasted pears totally fit the bill. Not only delicious to eat but to anticipate as well. I can't tell you how amazing this smells in production but I bet you won't leave anything in the pan. No, not one delicious golden drop.


I used pears that were slightly under-ripe but still fragrant. This time I used Anjou pears but have used Bartlett or Bosc in the past - all  were equally wonderful. You can peel your pears if you wish but I simply don't. Ever. I don't believe in it. (Well .... unless I am canning them.)


vanilla roasted honey pears


1/4 cup honey
1 vanilla bean
3 large pears
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp butter


Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine the honey and water in a small bowl with the seeds from the vanilla bean.* Cut the pears in half through the stem and using a small spoon scoop the core out. Arrange the pears cut side up in a 9x9" baking dish and drizzle with the lemon juice, then pour the honey, vanilla seed, water mixture over. Nestle the empty vanilla pods between the pears in the bottom of the dish. Dot each pear half with some butter.


Roast the pears for 30 minutes. Turn them over and continue roasting for about another 30 minutes, or until tender.** The juices will be lovely and carmelized - perfect for spooning over the ice cream or creme fraiche that gets along so well with this. 


Absolutely I would serve this warm. And this week? - with a blanket, next to the fire.


*With a sharp knife split the vanilla bean in half length-wise. Open the pod up and using the back of the knife scrape the seeds out. Simple.
**If the juices are carmelizing too fast - if they are quite thick and you think another 30 minutes in the oven is going to spell black disaster for your sweet syrup - add another 1/3 cup water to the pan when you turn the pears over. If you have really juicy pears you will be fine but if they are more than slightly under-ripe you will likely need a little more water.