Honey and Vanilla Roasted Pears

Ingredients:

• ½ cup honey – local is best
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1½ pounds (about 6 smaller or 4 larger) pears
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoon (or 28 grams) unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl mix the honey and water. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds into the maple-water mix. Peel the pears (if you want to) and half them. Place them in a baking dish. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the fruit, along with the honey-water mix. Place the empty vanilla pod among the fruit and dot each pear with a bit of butter.
2. Roast the pears for 20 minutes, brushing them occasionally with the juice. Then turn them over and continue roasting for another 20 minutes, repeatedly brushing the pears with the juice until tender and caramelized. Poke the thickest part with a sharp knife and if you don’t feel any resistance, your pears are done.

Source: Diana Mieczan at http://honestcooking.com/maple-and-vanilla-roasted-pears/