Compote Of Stuffed Pears With Rice

Select pears that are not too ripe, pare, and scrape the stems. Beginning at the stem end, cut, as to halve, to the centre of the pear; then, at a right angle, cut across to the first incision, and then remove one fourth of the fruit. With a vegetable gouge remove the core and the blossom end. For seven or eight pears make a syrup of a cup and a quarter of sugar, a cup of water and the juice of half a lemon. Cook the pears, until tender, in the syrup. Cut out rounds of angelica, about half an inch in diameter, pierce these with a skewer, and slip one or two of them on to the stem of each pear, alternately with a candied cherry. Put a cherry over the end of the stem. Cut fine the trimmings of the angelica and two or three cherries, and add to a little quince marmalade. Fill the cavities in the pears with this mixture, and arrange on the rice. Cook the syrup to a proper consistency and pour it over the dish. Serve hot or cold with or without cream. Preserved ginger may be substituted for the cherries and angelica.