114 pearl recipes

Whole baked ham brushed with sweet pear puree, slow-roasted with crisscross-scored fat for the perfect lacquered crust. An elegant, fruit-forward holiday centerpiece.

Lavender-pepper pears are ripe Bartlett pears sprinkled with crumbled lavender, cracked black pepper, and lemon juice. An elegant no-cook fruit dessert.

Poached pears with chocolate drizzle: Bosc pear wedges simmered in white wine and apple juice with warm spices, then crowned with melted dark chocolate. An elegant light dessert.

Nutty cheese brulee: warm Brie drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping and a scatter of toasted pecans, microwaved until soft and served with crackers and fresh fruit. A 3-minute appetizer.

Mushroom and celery root soup with dried and fresh mushrooms, pear, Spanish onion, and a touch of cream pureed into a thick, earthy bisque. Freezes for up to 3 months. Despite the title, this is a rich pureed soup, not a salad.

Broiled salmon steaks with butter-sauteed pears, apples, and lime slices. A fruit-forward seafood dish where the sweet compote and citrus brighten rich, fatty salmon in every bite.

Mustard fruit chutney with pear, mango, and raisins simmered in apple cider vinegar with dry mustard, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Served cold.

Baked Brie with a homemade cranberry-pear compote, honey, currants, and pumpkin pie spice. A warm, bubbly holiday appetizer served with melba rounds or sliced fruit.

No-cook ham and cream cheese appetizer balls seasoned with Worcestershire, ketchup, and lemon juice, then rolled in chopped chives. Served on toothpicks.

Homemade crab apple pectin made from sliced unpeeled crabapples and water. A natural liquid pectin for jam-makers working with low-pectin fruits like peach, pear, or strawberry.

Grilled mahi mahi with a spicy Asian pear salsa of plum sauce, serrano chili, cilantro, and honey. A Pacific Rim fish dinner in 40 minutes.

A stunning layered gelatin salad with orange segments, cranberry-banana, and a creamy lemon-cream cheese layer with pears, molded in a fluted tube pan. Retro potluck showstopper.

Asparagus with blue cheese drapes hot spears in a sharp red-wine vinaigrette loaded with crumbled blue and fresh chives. Six ingredients, one skillet, served warm or room temp. Spring side dish that punches well above its weight.

Phyllo fruit nests are an oil-free, low-fat dessert: torn phyllo sheets baked into crisp golden cups, then filled with poached pears or apples and a drizzle of fragrant syrup.

Roast duckling glazed with apricot basting sauce, served with wild rice studded with toasted pine nuts, chopped pears, and currants. An elegant holiday centerpiece.

Cravatta with asparagus spears wrapped in ham, spread with shallot-mustard cream sauce, and baked with Fontina and Parmesan until bubbly and golden.