Pear and passionfruit gratin

Ripe pears is a thing of rare beauty, but if you can't wait and want a taste of the action before it's properly ready, why not cook with it instead?This is also great way to use ripe or over ripe pears when you just do not know what to do with them.

Ingredients

• 1 litre water, plus extra
• 350g caster sugar
• 350ml white wine
• 1 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lemon rind
• 6 pears, peeled, halved, cores removed
• 4 passionfruit, pulped
• 80g egg yolk (about 4 yolks from small eggs)
• 1 tbsp Poire William liqueur
• 60g cream, whisked to firm peaks

Method

1. Bring the water, 300g of the sugar, wine, spices and lemon rind to the boil in a saucepan. Add pears, cover with baking paper and a plate to keep submerged and return to boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to cool with lid on to slowly finish cooking.
3. Preheat an overhead grill to high. Cut each half-pear into four lengthways. Arrange 12 slices in a circle in four 18-cm wide gratin dishes. Top with passionfruit pulp. Bring a saucepan with 3cm water to a simmer.
4. While this is heating whisk together yolks, 50ml water, remaining sugar and Poire William in a bowl until fluffy, then whisk vigorously over simmering water until thick and shiny, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and continue to whisk until cold. Stir through cream and spoon mixture on top of pears. Place under the grill for two to four minutes or until golden brown and puffed up. (It's important to get the grill temperature, or the distance of the gratin from the grill, just right so you have a golden-brown sabayon on top and heated pear underneath.)
6. Serve immediately. Serves 4

(Source: cuisine.com.au)