Fall Means Pear Season

As East Tennessee begins to feel some relief from summer heat, and the trees start to take on their autumn colors, produce bins fill with pears. Early arrivals are Bartlett, Red Bartlett, and Bosc (my favorite). Later, we will see Comice, and perhaps a few others.

In search of a good, easy recipe for pears, I found this one. I have tested it and made a few tweaks. If you want to read the original recipe, I have posted a link at the end.

This crust-less custard pie could not be simpler. Most of the prep time involves peeling and slicing the pears. You can use any suitable baking dish or pan for this pie, but you will need to adjust the baking time. I made the recipe in a 9-inch, well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

I always choose slightly under-ripe pears, as they tolerate shipping best. Place them in a basket on your kitchen counter and add a banana or two to help them ripen. They are perfect for this recipe when the "neck" yields slightly to gentle pressure.

Crust-less Pear Custard Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Cooking spray
4 pears, firm ripe, any variety
3/4 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray.

Peel, core and slice the pears lengthwise, arranging the slices in the prepared skillet as you go.

Combine the remaining ingredients, in the order given, in the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the machine and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Pour the batter over the pears.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Garnish with flavored sugar, powdered sugar, chopped fresh mint, or bits of candied or dried pear.

The original recipe and blog post can be found here.

New Book Released

My newest book, Succulents At Home, has been released this week. It's a comprehensive guide to getting started with succulent houseplants, and has tons of photos from Stanley's Greenhouse and UT.
You can check it out on Amazon, or wherever books are sold.