Poached Pears in Red Wine with Spices

Serves 5 - one each

Ingredients:

• 5 short squat pears like comice pears (you could use any pear you want but pick ones with stem attached)
• 1 cup of full-bodied red wine
• 1/2 cup orange juice from 2 large oranges
• 2 Tbsp sugar + 1 Tbsp
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• Around 5 whole cloves
• 2-3 thick slices of lemon
• Optional: Ice cream for serving

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Peel the pears with stems intact. Then slice the bottom off a bit so it can stand up
• In a shallow casserole just large enough to hold 5 pears, place the red wine, orange juice, and 2 Tbsps sugar and stir a bit to dissolve
• Place the pears in the dish. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon and cover with aluminum foil
• Bake for around 45 mins. If the liquid does not completely cover the pears, open the oven once or twice to place the pears on its side to that the liquid evenly seeps through. I had to do this twice
• Once the pears are tender, but not falling apart, switch off the oven and remove the pears on to the serving dish and refrigerate
• Now strain the liquid in to a sauce pan and throw away the spices and lemon. Place it on low heat on the stove, add a tablespoon of sugar and simmer until the liquid has reduced to less than half its volume and takes on a syrupy consistency
• Refrigerate the syrup separately from the pears
• While serving, place one pear on each plate. Spoon some of the red wine syrup on top. Serve with a side of ice cream optionally.