ROTD: Poached Pears

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:

1. Choose ripe, firm pears that are similar in size.
2. Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact.
3. Use a small pot, just large enough to hold the pears.
4. In the pot, add the wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, orange peel, and vanilla bean.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
6. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each pear so they all have the same height.
7. Stand the pears upright in the syrup, with the stems facing up.
8. Cover the pot and simmer the pears over low heat for 15 minutes.
9. Gently flip the pears and continue simmering with the lid on for another 10-15 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
10. Remove the pot from the heat and flip the pears back to their original position.
11. Let them cool in the syrup for about 1 hour, turning them occasionally to absorb the syrup evenly.
12. Once cooled, carefully remove the pears from the pot and place them on a plate.
13. Strain the syrup, then return it to the pot.
14. Boil the syrup for about 5 minutes until it reduces by half and reaches a consistency similar to thin honey.
15. Allow the syrup to cool.
16. Serve the poached pears over yogurt.
17. Drizzle with the reduced wine syrup and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
18. Garnish with fresh mint.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou