Parsley: Pear Salsa
This herb is more than just a frill.
June/July 1996
By Cornelia Carlson
Yields 2½ cups
Serve this flavorful condiment with roasted or grilled poultry. The parsley serves as a liaison between the sweet fruitiness of the pears and the savory flavor of the meat.
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- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 to 4 tablespoons rice wine or cider vinegar
- 1½ to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 large, juicy pears, preferably Anjou or Comice
- ½ to 1 cup chopped flat-leaved parsley
- Place the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the smaller amounts of vinegar and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Cover and cook over high heat until the sugars dissolve.
- Quarter and core the pears and add them to the syrup. Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes, or until the fruit is soft.
- Place the smaller quantity of parsley in a blender container, add the pears and syrup, then puree. Adjust the seasoning with more vinegar, sugar, and/or parsley. Swirl to mix.
- Transfer the salsa to a glass container, cover and store in the refrigerator for as long as three days. Serve cold or lukewarm.
Cornelia Carlson, an inveterate herb gardener, has a Ph.D. in biochemistry. She is the author of The Practically Meatless Gourmet (Berkley, 1996) and a contributor to Nutrition Secrets of the Ancients (Prima, 1996).
Click here for the original recipe, Parsley.