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Upside-Down Gingerbread-Pear Torte

Perfect for the holidays, this cake marries the spicy flavors of gingerbread with the sweetness of pears.
Upside-Down_Gingerbread-Pear_Torte

Ingredients:

1 box gingerbread mix
2 Markon First Crop D’Anjou Pears, sliced into 1/2-inch thick wedges
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

Prepare gingerbread batter as directed; set aside.
In small sauce pot, bring brown sugar and corn syrup to a simmer. Add pears and remove from heat. Pour sugar mixture into the bottom of a buttered 9” round baking pan. Fan the pears around pan as shown in the picture. Pour gingerbread mix over sugar/pear mixture and bake as directed on the box. Remove from oven once the cake is cooked thoroughly, and let cool.
NOTE: Do not remove cake from pan until it has cooled completely.
Sugar mixture needs to harden for correct presentation.

Ingredients:

1 bunch Markon First Crop Asparagus, steamed

1/4 C Markon First Crop Basil

2 T Markon First Crop Chervil

2 T C Ready-Set-Serve Lemon Juice

2 cloves Ready-Set-Serve Peeled Garlic

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. coriander

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

16 large shrimp, cleaned and threaded onto skewers to prevent curling

1 tsp. kosher salt

Olive oil + 2 cloves Ready-Set-Serve Peeled Garlic, for poaching

Edible petals and micro greens for garnish

Instructions:

Slice tips off asparagus and reserve. Add basil, chervil, one cup steamed asparagus stalks, lemon juice, zest, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper flakes, and oil to a food processor and blend until chunky.

Heat oil and garlic until just bubbling. Add shrimp skewers so that shrimp is fully submerged. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until shrimp is opaque and cooked through. When shrimp are almost cooked, add asparagus tips. Remove all with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.

To plate, arrange tips in a decorative manner. Place shrimp next to asparagus and ladle sauce on top of each one. Garnish with edible petals and micro greens.