Drunken Port Wine Poached Pears
Serves 6
Ingredients
8 poaching pears like Bosc
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
2 star anise
3 to 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 750 ml. bottle port wine, plus some if needed
Vanilla ice cream, optional
Instructions
Peel the pears but leave them whole. Do not remove the core.
Place the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and one bottle of port wine in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar melts. 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add 4 of the pears and additional port wine, if needed, to cover. Cook, turning the pears occasionally until the pears are red on all sides and very tender when skewered with a knife, 20 to 30 minutes. If they are difficult to pierce, continue to cook until the pears are tender.
With a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the pan and place in a bowl. Set aside while you repeat with the remaining pears. Remove the second batch of pears and place in the bowl with the other pears while you continue to cook the liquid until 1 cup of the thickened port wine remains. Strain and reserve the liquid. Discard the spices.
Serve warm or room temperature by placing one pear in each serving bowl. Drizzle with some of the reduced port wine. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
