Sarasota's Turkey Sausage Stuffed Pears

SarasotaCook's Note:

I have been making these for years since growing up in MI and getting fresh pears from the local markets. Pair this with some herbs cheese scrambled eggs, stuffed crescent rolls with honey cream cheese, cranberry and nuts; and a cranberry peach mimosa and pumpkin spiced coffee for the perfect Fall brunch. However these make a wonderful breakfast, lunch or dinner anytime of the year.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 Pear Ha ...

Pears

• 4 pears , cut in half and the cores removed (Bosc or Anjou)

Stuffing

• ½ lb turkey sausage (I like sage, herb, apple flavored, you can also use a pork sausage if you want)
• ½ cup celery , diced fine (approx. 1 rib)
• 1 small onion , diced fine
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 slice bread
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄3; cup maple syrup (real syrup if possible)
• 1⁄3; cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1⁄8; tablespoon clove

Garnish

• chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Pears -- After removing the core - scoop out a bit of the pear using a small spoon and make sure to set that to the side. You want to scoop enough out so you have room for the stuffing. Dice up the pear that was scooped out of the pear halves.
2. Cut a small slice off the bottom (uncut portion) of the pear so it will set flat in a baking dish. I use a 9x9 baking dish and spray well with pam. I also add about 1 cup of water to the bottom. This prevents the pear from burning.
3. Sauce -- Start the sauce before the sausage so it can simmer. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, add the butter, orange juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cloves and bring to a light boil for just a minute and then reduce to medium low to let it reduce.
4. Sausage Filling -- In a medium pan over medium high heat, melt 1/2 the butter and then add the sausage and cook until golden brown. If you are using pork sausage, don't add the butter as pork has a higher fat content. Turkey sausage has less fat content and you need the butter to saute it. Once it is done, remove to a paper plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
5. If you used pork sausage, make sure you only keep a teaspoon of the pan drippings to saute the vegetables inches If you used turkey sausage, add the remaining 1/2 butter to the pan and keep on medium to medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery and cook 2 minutes, then add in the pear and cook another 3-4 minutes until everything is tender. Stir in the thyme, salt, pepper, and cooked sausage, and mix to combine. Remove from the heat.
6. In a small bowl, add the milk and dip the bread slice in it for just a few seconds; squeeze well, and add to the pork mixture breaking it up as you go. Also add the beaten egg and mix well. Add the sausage mixture to the pears, piling it up high. If you have any leftover stuffing, make sure to save it. You can just bake it as a nice side for grilled chicken, stuff it in chicken breasts or in pork chops. Or stuff it in an acorn squash.
7. Bake -- Preheat your oven to 350, middle shelf. Drizzle a little of the glaze over the stuffing and brush on the pears. As the pears cook, every 15 minutes I brush a little more of the glaze on. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the pears are tender. As they cook, keep an eye on the water in the bottom of the pan. I make sure there is always a little water so they don't burn.
8. Serve -- Garnish each pear with the chopped pecans. ENJOY! As I said, this makes a wonderful breakfast, lunch or dinner.