Ingredients:
- 3-6 pears, peeled, stems left on if possible
- 1 bottle of red wine, the bigger the better
- 3/4 cup of sugar (or 1/2 cup of honey)
- Whole baking spices; throw in a 1-2 of any that appeal to you! Our favorites are: Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Black Pepper
Instructions:
- Reserving the pears themselves, combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place over a medium flame, and stir to dissolve sugar--the goal is to have the pears as submerged as possible, so the smaller the pan the better.
- Peel your pears with a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife, working in ribbons from the stem to the base. Submerge the fruit in their liquid and bring up to a simmer, turning them every 5-10 minutes to ensure even coverage and no scorching.
- Cook for 30 minutes, remove the pears, and reduce the liquid until you have 25-30% the volume you started with. Strain the syrup, and chill the pears and syrup together.
- To serve, place a chilled pear in a shallow bowl and top with freshly whipped cream, and a drizzle of their rich spiced syrup!