Roast Pears with Butterscotch Sauce

This is the kind of recipe I love ... simple, seasonal, lovely to look at and delicious to eat. And one pan to clean.

Pear halves, cored, sprinkled with sugar and placed in an oven-proof, stovetop-safe pan flat side up. Add butter to the pan and then roast the pears in a 450 degree oven for about 40 minutes, by which time the sugar will have caramelized in the sides and bottom of the pan. Remove the pears to a plate and place the pan on the stovetop. Add heavy cream to the caramelized sugar in the pan, bring to a boil creating the butterscotch sauce, and remove immediately from the heat. Serve as is, with the whipped cream Peterson suggests, or creme fraiche -- my preference.

James Peterson has gift for writing recipes that put flavor first and make a virtue of simplicity. This is a perfect example. Also -- easy to make for one or for a crowd.