Roasted pears become even more delicious with a drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Perfect as a side for pork belly and rice!
It’s pear season! I love pears but I find it impossible to catch them at their perfect ripeness. They go from being hard as a rock to mush in what seems like minutes, don’t they? I also get an itchy mouth from most raw fruit (such a bummer during peach season) but pop these in the oven for 20 minutes and problem solved!
I first made these with duck breasts (using a Tyler Florence recipe) but thought it would be delicious with my newabsolutemostfavorite thing ever, Crispy Pork Belly with Soy Honey Glaze.
This recipe would also be a really great addition to a Thanksgiving table. The sesame flavor is very mellow, almost a little nutty and would complement traditional Thanksgiving flavors well. You could scatter some toasted walnuts and Bleu cheese over them … oh my god, that would be so good. (I must resist the thought of leaving work to go and make this right now.)
It’s better to use slightly under than over-ripe pears but it’s a pretty forgiving recipe.
The Recipe
Sesame Roasted Pears
Ingredients
- 4 ripe pears cut in quarters and pitted
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 - 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Lime slices for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pears on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush all over with sesame oil.
- Place them into the oven and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender when pierced with a knife. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced lime.
Nerd Tips
- These would be lovely with a cheese plate at the beginning or end of a meal.
- It sounds bonkers, but they’re great with vanilla ice cream. Sesame + vanilla = yum
- Try it with apples too!
I made these for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and they were a HUGE hit. Thanks for posting!
Cool! So glad they turned out well. Thanks for letting us know!