Recipe for :

This recipe for Spiced Pear Tatin comes from Chef Peter Gordon and has been reproduced courtesy of www.discovertheorigin.co.uk

Discover the Origin is a campaign promoted by the European Union, Italy, France and Portugal and achieved by the office representative of five key European products: Burgundy wines, Port and Douro Valley wines, Parma Ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The aim of all of them is to enhance knowledge of the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) among consumers, distributors and food professionals and to educate on the benefits of the provenance indicator schemes, the relevant checks, controls and traceability systems that are put in place to ensure ongoing quality, and to differentiate the products and raise their profiles.

All five of these products carry a guarantee of their provenance and quality: the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Parma Ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, AOC for Burgundy wines and DOC for Port and Douro Valley wines. If you see these labels on any food or drinks, you can rest assured that you will be rewarded with excellent quality.

For more information visit www.discovertheorigin.co.uk

Spiced Pear Tatin with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese puff pastry and a vanilla Chantilly cream served with a ten year old chilled Tawny Port.

Ingredients for Spiced Pear Tatin

For 1 x 6 - 8 portion tart you will need a 24cm to 26cm diameter heavy based ovenproof pan

Pastry:
350g ready made puff pastry
30g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Spiced Pears:
4 - 6 pears (depending on their size) (Conference work well)
½ red chilli, cut in half (more or less to taste)
4 star anise
6 allspice, crushed
1 thumb ginger, peeled and sliced
200g unrefined caster sugar

Tart Tatin:
80g unsalted butter
150g unrefined caster sugar
50g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

How to make Spiced Pear Tatin

• Place everything except the pears in a 2 litre saucepan with 750ml cold water.

• Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

• Peel the pears and cut them in half lengthways. Using a melon baller remove the core and seeds.

• Place the 12 pear halves into the boiling liquid, place a paper cartouche on top and bring back to the boil.

• Turn to a simmer and poach for 20 minutes.

• Take from the liquid and drain on a cake rack.

• Boil the poaching liquid to reduce by three-quarters - at which point you will have a lovely syrup. Strain and reserve.

Tart Tatin:

• Melt the butter gently in your pan then sprinkle over the sugar and cook over a medium-low heat until the sugar has caramelised.

• Once the caramel is ready place the drained pears in, cut side facing up and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

• While that’s cooking roll your pastry out into a disc until it’s just a little larger than the diameter of your pan. Prick it all over then roll it around your rolling pin.

• Lay it over the pears and tuck it in at the edge.

• Bake for 20-30 minutes at which point the pastry should be lovely and golden.

• Leave it to cool in the pan for 10 - 20 minutes before loosening the sides with a knife and inverting it onto a plate large than the pan.

• Just before serving cut into 6-8 portions then peel the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top.

• Serve with a good dollop of Chantilly cream and a glass of aged Tawny Port.
  

Serves 6 - 8

Chef Peter Gordon
www.discovertheorigin.co.uk