Poached Pears with Cardamom Oatmeal and Toasted Walnuts

These poached pears make a delicious dessert, or serve them with a cardamom oatmeal mandorla and walnut sprinkles for an unexpected brunch dish.

poached pears with cardamom oatmeal and toasted walnuts

Poached Pears with Cardamom Oatmeal and Toasted Walnuts

Serves three

For the pears:

4 Bosc pears

3 cups of water

½ cup honey

½ cup brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

2 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

1 TB apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp cardamom, divided

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground clove

½ lime, zested and juiced

For the oatmeal:

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup water

1 cup almond milk

pinch of salt

½ tsp cinnamon 

¼ tsp cardamom

¾ cup toasted walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Poach three of the pears:

Combine water, honey, sugar, cinn stix, orange blossom water (if using), apple cider vin, cardamom, ginger, cloves and lime zest and juice in a pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins. While that’s going, peel the pears leaving any stems (nature’s little grabber) and cut off the bottoms so they stand up straight when you put them on the plate. When the poaching liquid has thickened slightly, add three of the pears to the pot, turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15-25 mins or until the fruit is very tender and pierces easily. Remove fruit using a slotted spoon and crank the heat up again, simmering the liquid until it becomes a little more syrupy. Remove the cinn stix and allow to cool slightly.

Make the oatmeal:

Using a cheese grater, grate the fourth pear, reserving any juices. Combine water, almond milk and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the oats, cardamom and cinnamon and stir frequently until oats are creamy and tender, about 8 mins. Stir in the fresh pear and juices.

To serve:

Spoon the oatmeal around in a circle at the base of a flat bowl, leaving a hole in the middle like a donut. Stand your poached pear in that hole. Drizzle the whole thing with the now slightly thickened poaching liquid. Top with toasted walnuts.