Butter-roasted pears with walnuts and ice cream

We’ve poached pears, but we never thought of roasting them until now! This is a great thing to do if you are lacking in the alcohol traditionally used for poaching (though you’ll still need a bit of wine). It’s a much simpler process and the smell that wafted from my kitchen was unbelievable!

Pears are largely grown in the southern regions of Australia. You can buy one variety or another almost all year round, so it doesn’t feel like there is a ‘season’ to the fruit. Perhaps that’s why I feel they are a bit neglected when it comes to recipes, which is why I was grateful to have taken a chance on this easy butter-roasted pear dish. Served with tender, sweet honey walnuts and some vanilla ice cream, this dish was a simple yet elegant dessert.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 semi-ripe Beurre Bosc pears
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup of dry white wine (I used Riesling)
• 1 star anise
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• Pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C. Quarter and core the pears, then dust the cut sides of pears with powdered sugar.
2. Melt butter in an oven-safe Dutch oven over moderately high heat. When the butter is melted, add pears, cut-side down, to the butter and cook, moving the pears around so the cut sides become caramelised and browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Flip pears so that they are skin-side up. Pour in the wine and drop in the star anise, cinnamon stick, and a small pinch of salt. Place the pan, uncovered, into oven and roast until the pears are tender and the wine has reduced down into a thin syrup, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer pears to a serving dish, sprinkle with the walnuts, drizzle with some of the syrup at the bottom of the pan and top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.