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1
Bring to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan: 4 cups water, 1 1/4 cups sugar.
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2
Turn down to a simmer and add: Zest and juice of 1 lemon.
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3
Peel, leaving the stems intact: 4 medium pears (such as Bosc, Bartlett, or Anjou).
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4
Scoop out the small blossom end of each pear and put the pears in the barely simmering sugar syrup.
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5
Add more water if needed to cover the pears.
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6
Cook the pears for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on variety and ripeness, until tender and translucent but not soft.
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7
Test with a sharp paring knife at the thickest part of the pear.
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8
Remove from the heat and cool.
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9
Serve warm or chilled with some of the poaching liquid, reduced or not.
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10
Store in the refrigerator submerged in the poaching liquid.
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11
Substitute 3 cups dry fruity white or red wine for 3 cups water.
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12
With the lemon juice and zest, add 1/2 cinnamon stick broken in pieces and a 2-inch piece of vanilla bean split in half lengthwise.
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13
Substitute 3/4 to 1 cup honey for the sugar.
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14
Cut the pears into quarters.
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15
Peel and core them, removing all the seeds and long strings from the neck.
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16
Poach in the syrup for 10 to 20 minutes or until tender.
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17
Substitute quince for the pears.
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18
Quarter, peel, core, and cut into 1/4-to 1/2-inch slices, and poach for about 45 minutes, until tender.
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19
Serve with whipped cream or creme fraiche, warm chocolate sauce, or raspberry sauce, with or without a garnish of fresh raspberries.
