Raisin Bread French Toast With Sauteed Pears - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 firm ripe pears, cored and cut into chunks
1/4 cup orange juice
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sugar
ground nutmeg, a pinch
8 slices raisin bread
1 cup maple syrup, warmed

Preparation

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over med-high heat.
Add the pears and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 3 minutes.
Pour in the orange juice, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glaze and the pears are soft, about 4 minutes.
Remove the pears and their sauce from the pan and keep warm while you make the french toast.
Wipe the pan clean and set aside.
In a large shallow bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cinnamon sugar, and nutmeg.
Place 4 slices of the bread in the egg mixture and let soak for about 2 minutes, turning once.
In the same frying pan over med-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Working with 4 slices at a time, transfer the soaked bread to the pan and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes total.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Then soak and cook the remaining 4 bread slices, using the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Divide the french toast among warmed plates and top evenly with the pear and their sauce.
Pass the maple syrup at the table.