P-P-P Poach a Pear

The sky hung low and shone a claustrophobic, dull metallic grey colour. It was mid-morning on the ridge by the wood. A lone, long-billed bird the size of an underfed chicken darted overhead Northwards in silhouette. It was the second weekend in January and the weather was characteristic of that time of year in that it still seemed dark even though sunrise had long been a feature of the day.

The Dogg and I realised that it wasn't a day for staying out for a long period. Also I realised that I had a recipe I wanted to prepare so as to make best use of some Pears recently acquired from the specialist fruit and veg vendor in my local town. 

The cold pale, grey day acquired appropriate music to fit the mood. That said on the player was wintry and wonderful electronica duo Neu's final release; the version I had was released under the title Neu! '86. It was recorded in 1985 but not released at the time as the duo behind the band, ex Kraftwerk men Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger, fell out with only a few of the songs for the album fully complete. After Dinger's death in 2008, Rother worked to finish the album that was released as Neu! '86. 

The record is as vital and essential as their other three albums and combines the atmospheric, cold, yet wonderful moods of Neu! 75', the proto punk of Neu! and Neu! 2 with a fistful of contemporary synth sounds that fit the bill well. It was a handy coda to their career. 

Why not have a listen for yourself at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qugv2kbxAHI&list=PL511fSPfMr9IDVwyFtOXQOTJezTIlxsUh   

So the recipe. The ingredients comprised of:

Five tablespoons of Scotch Whisky. 
Three tablespoons of Brown Sugar. 
Nought point three litres of Water.

Two pears, peeled but not topped and tailed. 

Three tablespoons of powdered Dark Chocolate.
Nought point two litres of Almond Milk. 

This tasty yet surprisingly healthy treat is relatively easy to make:

1. Combine the Whisky, Sugar and Water in a saucepan and leave to soak overnight with the lid on. 

2. The next day bring the contents of the saucepan to boil. 

3. Add the Pears and simmer for ten minutes.

4. While the pears are simmering, combine the Dark Chocolate Powder and the Almond Milk in a saucepan. Stir together thoroughly and warm through while stirring regularly on a medium heat until the Pears are ready.

I served the Pears by dolloping a healthy amount of the chocolate on each and presenting them in a serving bowl. The Pears benefited from rich but sweet taste of the whisky and sugar water. They were also soft but not so soft that they lost their texture and taste. The chocolate sauce meanwhile used strong Dark Chocolate Powder and Almond Milk that are much more healthy than their lighter and dairy counterparts. It was certainly a cheat meal without the need to cheat, too much, because some of  the ingredients were quite healthy in themselves. 

Get saucy- this chocolate sauce is a surprisingly healthy adjunct to the Whisky Sodden Pear.