Harry & David’s luscious, Oregon-grown, hand-picked Royal Riviera Pears are synonymous with the splendor of fall and holiday gift giving. Their buttery, creamy fruit, incomparable sweetness, and hardiness have been the standard bearer in the United States pear-growing industry since 1934. In 2001, Harry & David even trademarked their Royal Riviera Pear tagline, “so big and juicy you can eat them with a spoon!”
While eating them with a spoon or out of hand is a timeless tradition, there are myriad ways to relish them since they’re just as “pear-fect” in savory dishes as in desserts.
Here, we offer 10 pear recipes with a range of preparations we adore: pickling, candying, roasting, braising, and baking, and of course, simply slicing. You’ll “fall” for their simplicity and the sublime flavors for your weeknight and special occasion repertoire.
And while we can’t get enough of Royal Riviera beauties throughout pear season, you may use any varietal of Harry & David’s celebrated pears for these recipes, including crunchy, tart premium Bartlett pears and red pears.
Pickled Pears
Pears may not immediately come to mind when you think of pickles, but like any vegetable or fruit pickle, such as plums, peaches, and cherries, a quick vinegar brine brings out a fruit's natural sweetness while offering a complex, tangy zing that you'll love. This easy brine is known as a quick pickle, so you don't need canning equipment! These pickled pears are great on a cheeseboard, to cut through the richness of the cheeses. Add them to a grilled cheese sandwich or pork, chicken, and vegetarian tacos.
Candied Pears
Fresh, ripe pears tossed in brown sugar and then oven roasted will caramelize — whereby natural sugars change into caramel during the cooking process — giving them a deep sweet and nutty flavor. Use these candied pears as a garnish for fluffy buttermilk pancakes and cakes, or as a topping for ice cream.
Pear Muffins
An excellent muffin batter recipe should yield a light, tender crumb and be customizable for whatever seasonal fruit and spices you have. Royal Riviera Pears melt into this batter, giving these muffins a burst of sweet, fresh fruit laced with cinnamon and cloves. And the brown sugar, butter, and oat streusel give them a wonderful, crunchy texture.
Pear Salsa
Fall and winter's favorite fruit offers a hearty texture and touch of honey sweetness to a classic salsa combination of diced red onion, bell and jalapeño peppers, and cilantro. Swap out the cilantro for mint, if you like, or add scallions, and serve this pear salsa with crispy tortilla chips for a big game get-together, or spoon it over fish tacos or filets, such as mahi mahi.
Pear Pizza and Salad
Pears work wonders in savory dishes, and this pair of dishes — autumn pizza and pear salad — make a great weeknight duo. Mild, easy-melting fontina and tangy goat cheese pizza are the vehicle for sweet slices of Royal Riviera Pears, along with fresh nutmeg and the piney aroma and warmth of sage leaves. The accompanying salad is enhanced with pear balsamic vinaigrette that explodes with flavors of caramel, roasted pear, and mellow smokiness.
Thanksgiving Pear, Kale, and Bacon Salad
Shredded kale and Brussels sprouts make this nutrient-dense salad a great palate-cleaning accompaniment to a rich holiday meal. Adding pears and grapes offsets the salty punch of porky bacon throughout. A Dijon mustard and maple syrup dressing gets a smooth, delicious boost from a bit of bacon fat that is rendered while cooking. But you can gild the lily by adding chunks of creamy blue cheese and call this salad lunch any day of the week.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Pears
This full-flavored chicken thigh dinner is a snap to make. You'll crisp skin-on thighs in a cast-iron skillet, and then take the skillet from stovetop to oven. Finish cooking the thighs in a beautifully balanced braising liquid of chicken stock, sweet Royal Riviera Pears, earthy carrots, and apple cider vinegar. The result is a weeknight dinner of tender, juicy, meaty thighs with a crispy skin that takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Pork Chop and Pear Mostarda
Mostard, an Italian seasonal fruit, mustard seed, and vinegar condiment from the northern Lombardy region, is beloved as a sweet and spicy accompaniment to boiled meats. We love this spin on homey bone-in pork chops and apple sauce that incorporates sweet, sautéed Royal Riviera pears and fresh fall mustard greens to capture the classic Italian mostarda flavors.
Pear and Manchego Tenderloin
The tenderloin of pork is the leanest cut of that meat, and stuffing it gives it a ton of flavor. You'll stuff the loin with salty Spanish Manchego sheep's milk cheese, pears, fresh spinach, and cranberry relish. Its easy preparation belies its gorgeous outcome: Once sliced, its colorful spiral stuffing is revealed, making it a go-to dish for entertaining. Pair it with a bottle of crisp pinot gris and follow it with vanilla-poached pears for dessert. Now it's a dinner party!
Pear Tarts
Pear tarts make a glorious dessert, and here are four ways to spin them: classic butter crust; savory, soft cheese; vegan; and a rustic, French-inspired puff pastry tarte tatin. Each is a template to inspire your pear tart dessert creations when you add your favorite warm spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom, or herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. Pair your pears with other seasonal fruits and nuts, such as cranberries, apples, almonds, and walnuts, and top with scoops of ice cream and caramel sauce for a pear-fectly sweet treat.
