PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE
4 servings
Poached pears are a simple yet elegant dessert. Here i have poached them in a red wine syrup- I like the color the pears take on. Word of caution though- the red syrup can stain your table linens- not to mention the dessert eaters clothing. An alternative would be to poach them in a nice Sauternne- you can leave out the sugar when doing so.
4 somewhat firm pears with nice looking stems
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup red wine mixed with 1/4 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 T sweetened mascarpone
With a sharp paring knife peel the pears- leaving the stems on. Try to do a smooth of job as possible. Cut a small slice off the bottom so they will stand flat.
Stand them upright in a saucepan that is tall enough to put a lid on- and wide enough to lay them sideways later. Squeeze the lemon juice all over- then pour on the wine/ sugar mixture. Add the cinnamon stick to the pot.
Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Gently turn them to their sides and baste with the wine several times. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so. You don’t want them to get too soft.
To serve transfer to a rimmed bowl and spoon some sauce over. Serve with sweetened mascarpone