Ginger-Pear Soup
The pear makes this soup—so be sure to pick a good one. When selecting pears for this dish, choose softer ones that are very ripe. I like to
remove the skin before making this recipe as it yields a smoother consistency. To peel a ripe pear, just hold it under running water and rub the
skin right off.
SERVES 2 TO 4
6 dates, seeded
2 cups filtered water
¼-inch piece fresh ginger
4 pears such as Bartlett, peeled
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 fresh anise flowers, or ½ teaspoon anise seeds, or a few wisps of Florence fennel
2 mint leaves
Black and white sesame seeds, for garnishPlace the dates in a small bowl, cover with the water, and soak for about 1 hour, or until soft. Drain, reserving the liquid. Finely grate the ginger with
a ginger grater or fine grater to extract its juice (you should have ½ teaspoon). Place the dates, pears, cinnamon, anise, mint, and ginger juice in a
blender and blend slowly, adding the reserved liquid as needed, until smooth. Pour into bowls. Garnish with the black and white sesame seeds.