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1
Peel the pears using a swivel-bladed paring knife.
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2
Cut away the stems.
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3
Combine enough water to cover the pears when added and 4 tablespoons lemon juice and add the pears as they are peeled.
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4
Cut the pears lengthwise in half.
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5
Scoop out the cores, and a little of the meat, of each half to form a nice-sized cavity.
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6
Combine the 3 cups water with 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and the vanilla bean or extract.
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7
Bring to the boil and add the pear halves and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
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8
When the mixture returns to the boil reduce the heat and cook about 20 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with a fork.
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9
Remove the pears and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
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10
Let the pears cool.
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11
Put half of the berries in the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend while gradually adding the reserved 1 cup of pear-cooking liquid and the orange juice.
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12
This mixture may be used as is, but it is best to put it through a fine sieve of the sort known in French kitchens as a chinois, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
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13
There should be about 1 1/3 cups.
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14
Fill the cavity of each pear with about 3 of the remaining berries.
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15
Quickly invert the pears on an ovenproof serving dish.
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16
Preheat the broiler.
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17
Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
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18
Continue beating until stiff.
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19
Spoon the resulting meringue into a pastry bag outfitted with a star-shaped tube (No.
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20
3B).
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21
Squeeze out the meringue in star patterns over the pears.
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22
Pour the sauce around the pears.
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23
Place the dish under the broiler about 4 inches from the source of heat.
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24
Broil briefly until the tips of the stars are browned.
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25
Garnish around the sauce with a circle of the remaining raspberries.
