Pears – crisp, tangy and juicy – are ripe for the picking this month. Here are three ways to let their sweet and savoury versatility shine.  

Pickled pear slaw on gorgonzola-stuffed chicken burgers

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN BURGERS  

4 chicken breast fillets  
80g gorgonzola 
salt and milled black pepper  
2 Tbsp vegetable oil  

FOR THE PICKLED PEAR SLAW 

½ cup warm water  
½ cup sugar  
½ cup white balsamic vinegar  
½ fennel bulb, sliced
2 pears, cored and sliced 
1 cup cabbage, shredded 
handful fennel fronds, chopped 
1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard 
2 Tbsp mayonnaise  

TO SERVE  

4 Portuguese rolls, sliced and toasted 
1 head baby gem lettuce, washed and chopped   

Chef’s Tip: Cheddar, mozarrella or Parmesan will work just as well as gorgonzola in this burger.  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Cut lengthways into the side of each chicken breast, creating a pouch. 
3. Stuff with cheese, close and season. 
4. Heat oil in a pan and fry chicken until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. 
5. 5. Finish chicken in the oven until cooked through, about 15 minutes. 
6. For pickled pear slaw, begin by making pickling liquid. Bring water, sugar and vinegar to the boil. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. 
7. Remove pickling liquid from heat. Place fennel and pears in liquid, cover with clingfilm, and leave to pickle for 20 minutes. 
8. Strain fennel and pears and combine with remaining slaw ingredients. 
9. Layer rolls with lettuce, chicken and top with pickled pear slaw.

Pear tarte tatin 

Serves 6 • Total Time 45 Min 

Ingredients

8-10 pears, peeled, cored and halved 
1 cup sugar  
¼ cup water  
2 Tbsp butter  
1 sheet puff pastry 
1 egg, whisked

TO SERVE  

vanilla ice cream (optional) 
mint sprigs (optional)  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Slice each pear Hasselback-style, without cutting all the way through. 
3. Heat sugar and water in a large ovenproof pan over medium heat. 
4. Stir until sugar dissolves and boil until liquid is amber and has the consistency of caramel. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. 
5. Arrange pears cut-side up in pan, spooning caramel over to coat evenly. 
6. Roll puff pastry out onto a floured work surface. 
7. Cut out a large circle, slightly bigger than your pan, and cover pears with pastry, crimping the edge lightly to seal. 
8. Brush pastry with egg and pierce with a fork. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden. 
10. Remove and set aside to cool for a few minutes, then carefully turn out onto a serving platter. 
11. Drizzle with remaining caramel, and serve with scoops of ice cream and mint sprigs.
    

Chef’s Tip: Hasselback the pears by slicing them, but not quite all the way through, in thin, even layers. 

On The Side 

Pear Necessities
There are three main pears available to us in South Africa: the Forelle variety, which is green with a bright pink blush, the bright green Packham pear, and the light pink Rosemarie pear. Packham pears are the sweetest of the three. They’re very versatile and go well with everything from butter- and cinnamon-based desserts to blue cheese and walnuts in salads. Rosemarie pears are perfect on pizza or as a condiment on a cheese board.  

Spiced pear and apple chutney 

Makes 3 Cups • Total Time 2 ½  Hours 

Ingredients

11½ cups apple cider vinegar
1½  cups water
7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped 
7 pears, peeled, cored and chopped 
100ml sultanas 
1 onion, finely chopped 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves 
3 star anise
Pinch ground cloves 
1 Tbsp each ground coriander and ground cumin 
½ cup brown sugar 
salt and milled black pepper  

Method

1. Place all ingredients, except sugar and seasoning, in a large pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the apples and pears have softened slightly. 
2. Add sugar and stir gently until dissolved. 
3. Simmer for 1-1 ½  hours, or until chutney evenly coats the back of a wooden spoon. 
4. Remove chutney from heat. Remove star anise and season. 
5. Spoon into sterilised jars, or set aside to cool slightly and serve. 

More recipes worth the try:
Red wine poached pears with vanilla custard
Poached pears and spiced creamy oats
Whole roasted chicken with pears and spinach

Words by Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

The post Let’s Explore The Versatility Of Pears appeared first on MyKitchen.

Are you looking for a tasty starter that will take you less than half an hour to make? Then give this recipe a try, because biltong makes everything better.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME ± 25 mins

INGREDIENTS
2 pears, cored, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
400g ready-made puff pastry, cut into 8 rings
Flour, to dust
1 tbsp biltong dust
Wild rocket, to garnish

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2. Place the sliced pears in a small bowl and toss with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
3. Arrange the rings of puff pastry on a floured baking tray. Use a fork to prick the centres, leaving a half centimetre border around the edges. Top with pear slices and a sprinkling of biltong dust.
4. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown.
5. Serve warm, garnished with wild rocket.

Tartiflette is a classic French dish traditionally made with potatoes, cheese, lardons and onions. For this French-onion tartiflette, we’ve left out the potatoes to make it a lighter version.

The post Biltong and pear tartlets appeared first on MyKitchen.

Mature and classy is exactly what this red wine poached pears with vanilla custard recipe is. Whip up a quick batch at your next dinner party to impress your guests.

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the vanilla custard
575 ml milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
For the poached pears
1 bottle sweet red wine
125 g sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 piece lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp nutmeg
6 pears, cored and peeled (leave stalks intact)

The post Red wine poached pears with vanilla custard appeared first on MyKitchen.

Warm, tasty and oh-so comforting, this nourishing poached pears and spiced creamy oats bowl is perfect for breakfast on a cold day.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 15 min

INGREDIENTS
For the poached pears
3 Earl Grey tea bags
5½ cups water
¾ cup caster sugar
1 lemon peel
2 cm ginger, peeled
6 pears, peeled
For the creamy oats
2½ cups milk of choice
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp honey
To serve
2 cups plain yoghurt

METHOD
For the poached pears
1. Place the teabags in a pot along with the water and the sugar. Gently bring the water to a simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the teabags and add the lemon peel and ginger.
2. With the liquid simmering, add the pears and poach for 25–30 minutes, until just soft.
3. Remove the pears from the liquid and set aside. Bring the remaining liquid up to a boil and simmer until syrupy, about 20 minutes.
4. Return the pears to the liquid to coat in the syrup.
For the creamy oats
1. Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly stir through the oats. Turn the heat down to low and stir until soft, about 5–10 minutes.
2. Once the oats are soft and creamy, stir through the spices and honey.
To serve
1. Spoon a generous serving of oats into a bowl. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and arrange a poached pear over the top. Drizzle over extra syrup and serve warm.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Is the sweet breakfast life not for you? Don’t stress! We have these delicious savoury oats with eggs and paprika-yoghurt for you to enjoy instead.

The post Poached pears and spiced creamy oats appeared first on MyKitchen.

Creating a hearty and wholesome meal doesn’t have to mean slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Try this crumbed pork fillet with pear and blue cheese for an easy yet decadent homemade meal.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops
3 slices white bread, toasted
2 pears, thinly sliced
2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
50 g blue cheese

METHOD
1. Cover each chop with cling film and lightly bash with a meat tenderiser until evenly flattened.
2. Break the toast into chunks, then blitz in a food processor to form fine crumbs.
3. Pat the crumbs on to the meat, then bash lightly again to ensure they stick.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Drizzle the pork with olive oil and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
5. Place the sliced pears in a bowl. Drizzle with the apple-cider vinegar and a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Crumble the blue cheese over the pork and pears just before serving.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Crumbed pork fillet served with pear and blue cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.

A healthy breakfast treat that keeps you feeling full and energised throughout the day? Yes, please! These pear and pumpkin breakfast muffins are low GI and quick to bake, making them ideal for a morning snack or an afternoon pick-me-up.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 35 min

INGREDIENTS
2 cups wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 bananas, mashed
1 cup pumpkin purée (±250 g raw pumpkin)
1 cup plain yoghurt
3 eggs
2 pears, peeled and chopped

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups or grease generously with butter.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon and salt.
3. Add the bananas, pumpkin, yoghurt and eggs. Mix well to incorporate, then fold in the pears.
4. Fill each muffin hole ¾ of the way. Bake for 15 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Serve warm, topped with honey and butter.

Recipe & styling: Jana du Plessis
Photography: Samantha Pinto//HMimages.co.za

The post Low GI pear & pumpkin breakfast muffins appeared first on MyKitchen.