Everything you need to make Poached Pears
- 2 cups red wine
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ vanilla bean
- Peel of ½ an orange, cut into thin strips
- 4 medium and firm pears
For serving
- Yogurt
- Sliced almonds
- Fresh mint
Instructions:
- Choose ripe, firm pears that are similar in size.
- Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact.
- Use a small pot, just large enough to hold the pears.
- In the pot, add the wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, orange peel, and vanilla bean.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Cut a small slice off the bottom of each pear so they all have the same height.
- Stand the pears upright in the syrup, with the stems facing up.
- Cover the pot and simmer the pears over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Gently flip the pears and continue simmering with the lid on for another 10-15 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
- Remove the pot from the heat and flip the pears back to their original position.
- Let them cool in the syrup for about 1 hour, turning them occasionally to absorb the syrup evenly.
- Once cooled, carefully remove the pears from the pot and place them on a plate.
- Strain the syrup, then return it to the pot.
- Boil the syrup for about 5 minutes until it reduces by half and reaches a consistency similar to thin honey.
- Allow the syrup to cool.
- Serve the poached pears over yogurt.
- Drizzle with the reduced wine syrup and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Garnish with fresh mint.
Enjoy!
Source: Argiro Barbarigou
