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<em>Serves 4</em>
</p>
<p>• 1 1?2 cups sugar<br />
• 6 cups water<br />
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice<br />
• 1?4 cup firmly packed <a href=”http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X1260&cart_id=1781930.22495″ target=”_blank”>’Dark Opal’ basil</a>
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• 4 firm pears, peeled and cored with stems intact<br />
• <a href=”http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X1260&cart_id=1781930.22495″ target=”_blank”>’Dark Opal’ basil</a> leaves, turbinado sugar, sanding sugar for garnish</p>
<p>1. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Stir in basil.</p>
<p>2. Cut a thin slice from bottom of each pear, allowing pears to stand. Add pears to syrup mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove pears to a plate for serving. Pour syrup through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding basil leaves. Return syrup to saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently for 20 minutes, or until syrup thickens. Pour sauce over pears.</p>
<p>
<strong>Note:</strong> You could also use <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/in-the-garden/love-your-basil-cinnamon-basil.aspx”>’Cinnamon’ basil</a> for this recipe.</p>
<p>
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<p>
<em>Caleb Melchior studies landscape architecture. When not working in the studio, he writes about food and gardens.</em>
</p>
<p>Click here for the main article, <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/basil-varieties-a-cooks-guide-to-uncommon-basils.aspx” target=”_self”>
<strong>Basil Varieties: A Cook’s Guide to Uncommon Basils</strong>
</a>.</p>
Basil Varieties: Poached Pears in Basil Syrup

Photo by Howard Lee Puckett
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