Title: Pear almond soup
 Categories: Soups
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
    1/4 c  Cooking oil
    1/2 c  Minced onion
    1/2 c  Minced celery
      4    Pears; peel/seed/core
    1/2 c  Blanched almonds
    1/2 c  Pear brandy or sherry
      4 c  Vegetable stock
      1 ts Fresh thyme
      1 tb Fresh sage
           Salt and pepper, to taste
 
  Heat oil in a wide pot and add onion and celery. Cook over medium
  heat, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown. Add pears
  and almonds and cook together lightly, about 3 minutes. Add brandy or
  sherry and cook about 3 minutes to allow alcohol to evaporate. Add
  stock, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook 40 minutes on medium heat. Set
  aside to cool. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor and
  blend well. Strain mixture back into saucepan and reheat, tasting and
  seasoning as necessary. Serve hot.
  
  Serves 6.
  
  Nutritional analysis per serving: 376.6 calories; 18.4 grams total
  fat; (2.3 grams saturated fat); 7.1 grams protein; 38.2 grams
  carbohydrates; 2 milligrams cholesterol; 1,162 milligrams sodium.
  
  Louisville Courier Journal, November 12, 1996