Dark and Stormy Pear Crisp

October 27, 2005 - 10:26am

Ingredients:

Filling:

6-8 Bartlett or d'Anjou pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

1/3 cup raisins, soaked in ½ cup dark rum, for at least 20 minutes

3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

2 teaspoons lime zest (approximately 2 limes' worth)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter Vanilla bean or high-quality vanilla extract

Topping:

¼ cup each light brown and granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons flour

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened

¾ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, add pears, raisins, rum, ginger and zest. Stir to combine. Pour into an 8-inch square or 9-inch pie plate. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add vanilla extract or scraped insides of a vanilla bean. Let brown for at least three minutes. Pour browned butter over fruit. Set aside.

Topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, spices and salt. With hands, pinch butter into mixture until it looks like crumbly wet sand. Add nuts until well combined. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before using.

Drop topping onto buttered fruit, covering entire surface.

Bake until fruit is fork tender and topping is crunchy, between 45 minutes and 1 hour.

Cool slightly and serve in bowls.

Makes enough for a stormy party of six.