Pears are great in all preparations - from desserts to salads, but no one likes having to spit out their seeds in the middle of a meal. This article will show you a couple of simple techniques for removing the core of a pear whether you want to cut it in half or into wedges, or if you want to keep it whole for drowning.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Pear in Half
Step 1. Cut the pear in half lengthwise
After placing it on a cutting board, divide it with a long, continuous motion.
Step 2. Core
Use a spoon or a tool to empty the melon (empty-melon) and remove the central part of the pear where the seeds are. The tool you use depends on the consistency of the fruit: the melon tray is more suitable if the pear is hard, while the spoon is perfect for softer pulps.
Step 3. Remove the stem
Make a small "V" cut around the edges of the stem with a knife, as you can see in the image.
Step 4. Peel the pear
Help yourself with a small but sharp knife or a potato peeler. Your pear is ready to be used in your recipe or to be eaten as it is.
- You can also leave the peel off, as it's edible and good for you, but it could alter the consistency of your preparation.
- If you want, you can also peel the pear before removing the core.
Part 2 of 3: Whole Pear
Step 1. Peel the fruit
In this case it is the first operation you need to do, always helping yourself with a sharp knife or a peeler.
- If you want a perfectly smooth pear to glaze it, the peeler is the best tool to use.
- Go over the peeler to make the surface perfect.
Step 2. Core
Starting from the bottom of the pear, use a melon tray or a teaspoon to remove the pulp and penetrate inside the fruit. The pear will look perfect when placed on its base, but in truth it will have a hole from which it has been cored.
- Alternatively, you can use a specific tool, designed to eliminate the central part of the fruit. Put one end of this tool (which is basically a hollow metal tube) over the stem of the pear and push down until it pierces the whole fruit lengthwise. Rotate it a couple of times and then pull it out. You now have a perfect, cored pear.
- If the pear is a bit unstable after this operation, you can cut the bottom to equalize the support surface.
Step 3. Don't let it blacken
If you don't have to use the pear immediately, put it in a bowl of cold water with lemon slices. You will prevent it from oxidizing and turning dark.
Part 3 of 3: Pear Recipes
Step 1. Prepare the poached pears
They are a great dessert suitable for putting the advice in this article into practice. This simple recipe just calls for some vanilla and sugar syrup.
Step 2. Pears poached in wine
This is the hot and spicy version of the above recipe, very elegant to serve at a dinner.
Step 3. Pear pie
It is a variation of the traditional apple pie, excellent with vanilla ice cream.
Step 4. Caramelized pears
Caramelized pears are a delicious treat. You can serve them with cream and caramelized pecans; how can you not love them?
Step 5. Make a pear and cinnamon jam
If you've harvested a lot of pears and don't know what to do with them, try this cinnamon spiced jam. It is fantastic both over breakfast cereals and with ice cream.
Step 6. Pear-apple salad
It is a tasty but low-fat salad. Its strong and contrasting flavors make it an excellent choice for lunch.
Advice
- The melon drains or metal spoons are the best tools for this technique, because the plastic ones could break easily when you apply a little pressure.
- Pears ripen if you leave them at room temperature, so it's best to buy them while they're still hard.
