Poached Pears in Purple Basil Syrup
Celebrate the pear by bringing out its true colors. Poached in purple basil simple syrup, pears take on a lavender hue and a mellow sweetness that makes them a decadent after dinner treat.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup firmly packed purple basil leaves
- 4 firm pears, peeled and cored with stems intact
- Turbinado sugar for garnish
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and lemon juice; cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Stir in purple basil leaves.
- Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear, allowing pears to stand.
- Submerse pears in syrup mixture and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until pears are tender.
- Remove pears to a plate for serving.
- Pour syrup through a strainer into a large bowl, discarding basil leaves.
- Return syrup to saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently for 20 minutes until syrup thickens.
- Pour sauce over pears and serve.
Time: Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
