Polenta with Pont-l'Évêque and Poached Pears
Ingredients
Polenta:
4 cups water
4 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups polenta
Pears:
1 750 ml bottle red wine, preferably dry
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 Bosc pears, cored, peeled, and halved lengthwise
Topping:
1 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled and crushed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Pont-l’Évêque
Steps
For the polenta:
Bring the water, milk, butter and salt to a boil in a large saucepot.
Gradually add the polenta while whisking aggressively for 3-4 minutes to prevent any lumps. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and stir with a wooden spoon every
10 minutes until the polenta is fully cooked, creamy and smooth, approximately 45 minutes. If needed, add additional water to achieve the desired consistency.
For the pears:
While the polenta is cooking, combine the red wine, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add pear halves and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer uncovered until the pears are tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove the pears and slice when cool.
Continue cooking the liquid until reduced to 2 cups. Strain and reserve.
To assemble:
Combine the crushed pistachios, lemon zest, orange zest, and parsley, and add salt to taste.
Place the polenta into a bowl, layer the Pont l’Eveque, sliced pears, and pistachios. Drizzle the reduced wine sauce on top.
