Top this warm dessert with Greek yogurt, sweetened whipped cream or ice cream. If using freshly grated root rather than prepared, add about 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the pears and sugar. SERVES 4
Fruit
• 4 firm, ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced into quarters lengthwise
• 1?3 cup demerara, turbinado or light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish or prepared horseradish
• 1 lemon (optional)
• 4 small bay leaves, fresh or dried
• Crisp Topping, recipe below
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter 4 (5- by 1-inch) baking dishes.
2. Cut quartered pears crosswise into slices. Combine pears, sugar and horseradish; squeeze lemon over the pears if using, and toss well. Spoon fruit mixture into prepared dishes; top each with a bay leaf and sprinkle with Crisp Topping.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is golden: cool 15 minutes on a wire rack.
Crisp Topping
• 1?3 cup unbleached flour
• 1?3 cup demerara, turbinado or light brown sugar (not packed)
• 1?2 cup ground almonds
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits
1. Combine first 4 ingredients; cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
Note: Pear Crisp can be baked in an 8-inch square baking dish. Use only 1 bay leaf.
Susan Belsinger is a long-time herbal enthusiast who wrote Dill, Herb of the Year 2010 for the International Herb Association.
To read more, see the International Herb Association’s book, Horseradish, Herb of the Year 2011, edited by Susan Belsinger. To purchase, visit www.iherb.org or write to Marge Powell at the International Herb Association, P.O. Box 5667, Jacksonville, FL 32247-5667.
Click here the main article,2011 Herb of the Year: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana).
