Pear Sweet and Sour Sauce
I love sweet and sour sauce. I have made many versions over the years and have used different fruits in them. I decided to try to make sweet and sour sauce with a ripe pear. It worked out wonderfully. Even better than I expected, actually. The sweetness of the pear was a great addition to the sauce. It came out a rich, mahogany color and is full of flavor. I will make a double batch the next time. I have already enjoyed it with egg rolls. Thinking of making sweet and sour chicken next.
I try to be as exact in measuring as I can. I had a pretty big Bartlett pear, but use 2 small pears, if that is what you have. Any pear will work in this recipe- just be sure it is ripe. As the sauce cooks the pear pretty much falls apart and disappears into the sauce. I also used Sriracha sauce, which is hot, but not as hot as some other hot sauces. Depending on the brand you are using, you might want to add less. Then again, heat is a matter of personal preference. Spice it up according to your own taste. That is one of the perks of making it yourself.
When I make a sweet and sour sauce- I use Clear Gel, instead of traditional corn starch. It is modified cornstarch (non-waxy) and when you reheat the sauce, it will stay thick. Regular cornstarch will often thin out when reheated. Clear Gel is used in pie fillings and a lot of frozen foods and condiments. Often listed on the label as modified food starch. It looks just like regular cornstarch. I buy mine online or when I am in stores in Amish communities.
So here is the recipe for a sweet and sour sauce I will surely make again. Planning on making some to freeze, too.
Pear Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 large pear, (about 8 oz.) peeled and diced fine
½ c. cider vinegar
½ c. sugar
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. Sriracha sauce- or other hot sauce- add to suit your taste
2 t. grated ginger
3 T. water
2 T. cornstarch or Clear Gel*
2 t. sesame oil
In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients, except the water, cornstarch and sesame oil . Simmer mixture, covered about 5-7 minutes, or until pear becomes tender. Stir occasionally. Combine cornstarch with water and stir until smooth. Pour slowly into simmering pear sauce, stirring to prevent sticking. Sauce with thicken. Stir in sesame oil. Makes about 2 cups. Keeps in fridge for weeks.
* If you use a type of cornstarch called Clear Gel, you can reheat the sauce without it becoming runny. Clear Gel, also called modified food starch, or modified cornstarch, is available online and at some specialty food stores. I find it in Amish communities.
Duck with Pear Ginger Sauce
Duck with Pear Ginger Sauce
I love the way duck tastes when served with pears. Duck, with its dark, rich meat really works well with all sorts of fruit. I’ve made sauces and glazes for duck from cherries, prunes, mangoes, peaches and of course, oranges. Since I had several very ripe pears and a duck I was roasting I thought I’d try them together. Oh yum!!
I made a simple sauce out of the pears. I peeled them and diced them and put them in a small saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, about 1/4 cup of cider vinegar, some salt and pepper and a healthy splash of hot sauce. It needed something so I added about a teaspoon and half of grated ginger. That was the missing ingredient. It gave the sauce a nice bite. I simmered the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking. The pears were just starting to fall apart. When the duck was ready to serve I warmed up the sauce and spooned some on the plate.
To roast the duck: Let me say this was a locally grown duck so not as fatty as ducks I get at the grocery store. For the very fatty ducks you need to score the skin and trim off extra fat. If you don’t the skin won’t get crispy and isn’t very appetizing. Still, I wanted a nice high heat to crisp up the skin. I placed it on a rack in a roasting pan. I did cut up an onion and a small orange and placed them in the cavity. Sprinkled generously with salt and pepper and placed the duck in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then I turned the heat down to 425 until the duck was done. In this case, it was a smallish duck and cooked in about 65 minutes. It is OK if the duck meat is a little pink. Kind of preferred a little pink by most, but cook it to your own comfort level. Let duck rest 10-15 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.
Right out of the oven
Pear Chutney
Pear Chutney
I call this dish by a couple of names. It was given to me as a pear sauce. I think it makes people think of apple sauce and that is misleading. This flavorful sauce is more like a glaze or chutney. A mix of savory and sweet flavors it is great served on the side with various dishes and can be used as a glaze. The picture does not do it justice. We had this in a class recently and I served it with roast turkey. Everybody loved it. It goes well with pork and duck, too. I always make a double batch and freeze some for later use. The recipe follows along with a recipe using the chutney with pork. I think you will be surprised at just how tasty this stuff is.
Pear Chutney
½ c. sugar
½ c. balsamic vinegar
1 lb. Pears, cored, peeled and diced
2 T. dried minced onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. hot sauce – or more to taste
pinch cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning. Serve with pork or lamb roasts. Also great with turkey or duck. Makes about 2 cups.
Pork with Pear Chutney
1 lb. Pork loin. Sliced or 4 pork chops
oil
1 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 recipe pear chutney, See above
In skillet cook pork in oil, turning to brown evenly until juices run clear when meat is pierced. Remove meat and add onions, sautéing until onions are browned. Return pork to pan, adjust seasonings and add 1 cup of the pear chutney. Cook 10 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. Serves 4.
