Poached Pears with Cheddar

Poached Pears with Cheddar

Photograph by James Carrier

MAKES 8 first-course servings
TIME About 45 minutes

Ingredients
8 firm-ripe Seckel or Forelle pears (3 to 4 oz. each) or 4 Bosc pears (6 to 8 oz. each)
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 slender baguette (1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) melted butter or margarine
1/3 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups watercress sprigs, rinsed and drained

Directions 1. Peel pears, leaving stems in place.

2. In a 3- to 4-qt. pan over high heat, bring cranberry juice, vinegar, and sugar to a boil; add pears. When mixture resumes boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fruit is tender when pierced, about 8 minutes (12 minutes for Bosc pears); turn fruit over halfway through cooking.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to a rimmed plate. If using Bosc pears, cut each in half lengthwise.

4. Boil juice mixture over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2?3 cup, about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cut baguette diagonally into 1/2-in.-wide slices. Brush both sides of each slice lightly with butter. Arrange slices in a single layer on a 14- by 17-in. baking sheet. Bake in a 375&#deg; oven until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Set each whole pear upright on a plate (lay Bosc halves flat sides down). Spoon syrup equally over or around fruit. Arrange toasted baguette slices, cheese, and watercress next to pears. To eat, cut pieces of pear, dip in sauce, and combine with bites of toast, cheese, and watercress.

PER SERVING 329 cal., 36% (117 cal.) from fat; 7.7 g protein; 13 g fat (7.9 g sat.); 46 g carbo (2.8 g fiber); 354 mg sodium; 36 mg chol.

Serve with Canard-Duchene Rosé NV Champagne#eacute;