Roast pears with bay, shallots and juniper
- Serves 6 as a side dish
- Easy
An easy roasted pear recipe by River Cottage chef Gill Meller to enjoy as a tasty side dish as part of your festive feast
For something different on Christmas day, why not make this easy roasted pear side dish – a perfect accompaniment to a meat or vegetarian main.
More festive recipes:
- Celeriac and potato dauphinoise
- Stuffed squash with fennel and barley
- Roast saddle of venison with prune, bacon and sage stuffing
Ingredients
- juniper berries 4
- cloves 4
- pared orange zest 1/2
- soft butter 1 large knob
- pears 6, aim for medium-ripe
- shallots 4, peeled and thinly sliced
- bay leaves 8
- olive oil 1/2 tsp
- ground black pepper
Method
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Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4
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Step 2
Crush the juniper and cloves in a pestle and mortar, until fairly fine. Add the orange zest and butter and crush to a buttery paste.
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Step 3
Peel the pears, then quarter them and remove the cores. Arrange the pears in a suitably-sized roasting tray. Take the soft spiced butter and dot it all over the pears.
![Pears in roasting tin]( "159GillMeller181005Matt-Austin")
Arrange the pears in a suitably sized baking tray (Matt Austin) -
Step 4
Scatter over the shallots and bay leaves and trickle over the olive oil.
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Step 5
Season the pears well with salt and pepper.
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Step 6
Place the tray in the hot oven and roast for 20–30 minutes or until tender, turning once or twice with a spatula. The pears and shallots should be lovely and soft and caramelising around the edges when you take them out. Serve at once.
