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Shiitake Pine-Nut Tartar With Wilted Tatsoi and Poached Pears

Mild, sweet poached pears, ginger-spiced mushroom tartar, and garlic-seasoned tatsoi perfectly complement one another to create this elegant meal.

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup shiitake mushroom caps
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp. tamari soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups tatsoi
1/8 cup vegetable stock
3 Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled
1 bottle of good white wine or dry white port
3 star anise
1 cardamom pod
6 spicebush berries
6 pink peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick

For the tartar:
• In a food processor, process the pine nuts until pasty. Add the mushrooms, ginger, and parsley and pulse until the mushrooms are finely minced. Drizzle with the tamari and shape the mixture into small patties.

For the tatsoi:
• In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the oil until wisps of smoke appear. Quickly add the shallot and garlic and sauté until brown. Add the tatsoi and vegetable stock and toss two or three times—until the tatsoi just wilts. Remove from the pan.

For the pears:
• Place all the ingredients and enough water to just cover the pears in a medium-sized saucepan or small pot. Gently cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the pears are tender all the way through. Remove the pears (but save the poaching liquid) and place them in a bowl of ice water. Return the pears to the poaching liquid once it has cooled.

• To serve, place one tartar patty on each plate. Cut a section of pear and slice and fan it next to the tartar patty. Top with some of the wilted tatsoi.