For the last, almost twenty years, we have spent part of the summer in the South of France. It is a fundamental part of my inner world. I remember the first time stepping off the train and feeling that soft, warm summer heat touch my bones and heart, and with it the deepest sigh of recognition.
Little did I know that I would be entering into a place which was, simply as its way of being, living in a way that I had worked hard to discover and express in my personal, feeling, and practical world, and which was often out of synch in my home in the North, Canada. Warmth, openheartedness, lack of pretention, communication, love of life and joy, practical abilities, and of course wholesome and natural food attitudes and knowledge.
With my young son in arms, or stroller, I bought fresh strawberries at the market, baguette every morning (of which the baker always had some little treat for my son), brought my son to Le Carrousel - and walked the streets, where the blanket of gentle silence mixed with a sweet smell, warm breeze, and shimmering leaves seemed to cover the whole place - all under a type of sun light that can only be experienced...soft, warm, but bright...an ever present radiance.
Often I would arrive, ragged and worn from a long winter, having made a years worth of valiant efforts of nurturing the practical, heart, and soul life of my son in sometimes cold, hostile, and lonesome environments. After coming off the plane, I would take a week of just looking at the sun, of letting my son run free in the fields, or a forest, or in a yard. We would eat fruits, and wholesome local goats cheese, fresh bread and olives, local vegetables, and shed the mental weight...and we would have quiet, simple unrushed quiet, just the two of us to breath deep, to correspond, to realign.
We ate of the land, and we became one with the land, our true homeland.
Years went on and we added more and more friendships, and these trips became full of so much more. My son would come and cook together with friends, or work on some other project. One summer, in a kitchen full of women, we cooked Poires Belle-Hélène, and I was so struck by its simple deliciousness, as well as the warm feeling that seemed to surround it, a classic and comforting part of a Sunday meal around the table. So it became engraved in my psyche as a mixture of beauty, and comfort. So here is a simple recipe of which I am sure you will find many more refined versions of in the close to my heart, dear France.
Poires Belle-Hélène
Serves 4
Note: I tend to use less sugar in the syrup for poaching the pear as I prefer just a touch of sweetness, especailly when the pears are nice and sweet, so you may like to add more, which is closer to a traditional recipe.
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
5 crushed cardamom pods
1 inch strip of lemon zest
1/2 cup raw sugar (light coloured)
1 tbsp vanilla paste (or one vanilla bean halved and scraped - include both the pod and the scrapings)
4 pears, peeled and cored (see below for instructions)
3 oz good quality organic dark chocolate
1/4 cup whole organic cream (dairy or alternative)
In a medium sized saucepan, bring 4 cups of water, 1 stick of cinnamon, 1 whole star anise, 5 crushed cardomom pods, 3 whole cloves, a strip of lemon zest, 1/2 cup of raw sugar (or more for the sweeter version), and a tablespoon of vanilla paste, and allow to come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and core the pears being sure to try to keep the stem in tact. To core the pears while still keeping them whole, you can use an apple corer inserted through the bottom of the pear. Then carefully remove any remaining core inside with a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon. If you are doubling or tripling the recipe, be sure to place the pears in a bowl of lemon water to keep them from browing while the pears are being peeled and cored. I find that a small batch is usally done fast enough that that step is not necessary.
Once the spice syrup is ready, taste it to see that it is full flavoured. If you would prefer more depth of flavour, simmer a little longer.
Once the syrup is to your liking, gently add the pears. Bring the syrup carefully back up to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer as you gently poach the pears, being sure to handle them delicately so as to keep them in one piece. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes depending on the firmness of the pear.
While the pears are cooking, melt 3 oz of your favourite dark chocolate in a double boiler with 2 tablespoons of the poaching syrup, and 1/4 cup of full cream. Mix well, to a smooth sauce.
In a small frying pan, on medium heat, lightly roast sliced almonds for the topping, keeping a close eye as this only takes a minute or two.
Once the pears are ready and easily pierced with a knife, carefully remove the pears to a plate with a slotted spoon. On four lipped plates, place each pear upright, pour a good scoop of chocolate sauce over the top, allowing it to dizzle down the sides. Then sprinkle the warm pear and chocolate sauce with the toasted almond slices. Typically, you will find it paired with vanilla ice cream, but we have it on its own as a warm dessert for an Ayurvedic twist.
Bon appétit.
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