Tagged: vinho do porto

Desserts / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Traditional customs

Pears in Vinho do Porto

DSC06636Pears in Vinho do Porto dessert is elegant, yet so easy to make to impress your family or guests at your next party.  Be sure to serve a glass of authentic “Vinho do Porto” with it of course!

Vinho do Porto (Port wine) is a Portuguese fortified wine exclusively made in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. Many other countries make port wine but in the EU only wines made in Portugal can be labeled Port or Porto. In the USA wine using the “port” term, are recognized as generic. but the wines name “Porto”, and “Vinho do Porto” are deemed to be exclusively Portuguese.

port wineIngredients:

3-4 ripe pears

1 cup Vinho do Porto (Port wine)

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 strips orange peel

2 strips lemon peel

1 stick cinnamon

vanilla ice cream for serving

mint leaves for garnish

Preparation:

Place the sugar, port, 2 cups water, lemon and orange peel, and cinnamon in a pan. Cook on medium high for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Carefully peel the pears and slice of a 1/4 inch piece on the bottom to make them stand. Place the pears upright in the syrup and bring syrup to boil. Lower heat to medium, cover, and cook for about 50 minutes or until a knife cuts easily through the pears. Remove pears and let cool.

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DSC06627Place pears upright on plate topped with the syrup or make the thick Port glaze below.  Add ice cream and garnish with mint leaves.

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DSC06637Port Wine Syrup Glaze:

Simmer remaining syrup from cooking pears on low heat for another 20 – 30 minutes or until the syrup thickens. Store in jar in the refrigerator up to 30 days. Serve over fruit, ice cream, french toast, pancakes, etc.

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Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Portuguese Christmas / Recipes

Port Wine – Vinho do Porto – Stawberry Fruit Salad

fruit-salad

You’ll love this fruit salad for summer picnics, Holidays and for family celebrations. It’s so simple and easy to make, because you don’t have to peel and slice the fruit.

The secret to this recipe, is that you use a packages of frozen strawberries in syrup.

*You may substitute the recipe with low calorie canned fruit, or use any of your favorite fresh fruits.

However, to obtain the rich sweet flavor of strawberries and Port you must use the frozen strawberries in syrup.

*If you want to make this for children, leave out the Port wine, it’s just as delicious!

Ingredients: Serves 12-24

Note: These ingredients are all optional so substitute with your favorite fresh or canned  fruits.

1/2 cup Vinho do Porto – (Port wine)

2 cups fresh strawberries cut into slices

1 (16 oz) container frozen strawberries in syrup

1 can chunk pineapple with juice

1 can sliced peaches

1 can fruit cocktail

1 can sliced pears

1 cup grapes

1 – 2 cups chopped cantaloupe (optional)

sliced bananas (optional)

 *Note if you want a low calorie option use fruit in its own juice and not sweetened

 

Instructions: Prep time – 10 minutes

Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir gently to incorporate the wine into the fruit.

Place it in your refrigerator or in a cool place for at least 2 hours before serving but it’s better if left overnight in your refrigerator to allow the port wine to infuse the fruit.

When ready to serve, transfer the fruit into a large glass punch bowl. Serve with a ladle into individual glass cups or bowls.

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days if you have any left over that is! Enjoy!