Pears With Raspberries And Meringue

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Peel the pears using a swivel-bladed paring knife. Cut away the stems.

2. Step 2

   Combine enough water to cover the pears when added and 4 tablespoons lemon juice and add the pears as they are peeled.

3. Step 3

   Cut the pears lengthwise in half. Scoop out the cores, and a little of the meat, of each half to form a nice-sized cavity.

4. Step 4

   Combine the 3 cups water with 1½ cups of the sugar and the vanilla bean or extract. Bring to the boil and add the pear halves and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. When the mixture returns to the boil reduce the heat and cook about 20 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the pears and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Let the pears cool.

5. Step 5

   Put half of the berries in the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend while gradually adding the reserved 1 cup of pear-cooking liquid and the orange juice. This mixture may be used as is, but it is best to put it through a fine sieve of the sort known in French kitchens as a chinois, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. There should be about 1⅓ cups.

6. Step 6

   Fill the cavity of each pear with about 3 of the remaining berries. Quickly invert the pears on an ovenproof serving dish.

7. Step 7

   Preheat the broiler.

8. Step 8

   Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff. Spoon the resulting meringue into a pastry bag outfitted with a star-shaped tube (No. 3B). Squeeze out the meringue in star patterns over the pears. Pour the sauce around the pears. Place the dish under the broiler about 4 inches from the source of heat. Broil briefly until the tips of the stars are browned. Garnish around the sauce with a circle of the remaining raspberries.