Hawayij-Poached Pears with Mint and Pomegranate

BY Olivia Hayo
January 13, 2019

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Photography by Olivia Hayo for Edible San Diego

Spiced pears finished with aromatic lemon zest, refreshing mint, and sweet-tart pomegranate seeds come together for a memorable winter themed treat.

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Pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, with chia seed-swirled Greek yogurt for breakfast, or serve as part of a cheese and charcuterie plate for entertaining.

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 cups water
1 ½ teaspoons hawayij spice blend*
¼ cup sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest
Pinch of salt
4 firm pears, peeled, halved lengthwise keeping stem intact, seeds scooped out
Handful of mint leaves, thinly sliced
Handful of pomegranate seeds

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, hawayij, sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves and bring to a simmer.
Add pears to the poaching liquid. If pears aren't completely covered, add more water. Cover with lid, keeping it slightly ajar, and simmer until pears are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a plate and set aside. Raise heat and boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 1 cup, (10–15 minutes). Remove from heat.
Serve pears with a drizzle of syrup and top with a sprinkle of lemon zest, mint, and pomegranate seeds.
*Hawayij is a spice blend originating from Yemen. There are two versions of the spice blend, a sweet blend intended for coffee, and a savory blend used for soup. This recipe calls for the sweet version. You can find it in international grocery stores or you can make your own blending equal parts ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and clove. My go-to version is available from The Spice Way in Encinitas.

Olivia Hayo

Olivia Hayo is a chef, recipe developer, and photographer. She has a Masters in Food Culture, Communications, and High-Quality Products from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and lived throughout the Mediterranean for six years. When she’s not creating recipes for her website Beautiful Food Inside + Out you can still find her in the kitchen or at the farmer’s market. Follow her at @OliviaHayo on Instagram or visit www.oliviahayo.com to read more.