Oven-Poached Pears With Red Wine

Ingredients

• 2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as a California cabernet or an Italian Barolo
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 3 thick slices of lemon
• 8 firm Comice or russet (Bosc) pears

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    249 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 43 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 6 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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8 servings

Preparation

1. Combine the wine, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon slices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced to approximately 4 cups liquid. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the pears but leave the stems on. Place the pears upright in a baking dish just large enough to hold them comfortably. Bring the wine mixture to a boil again and pour it over the pears (it will not cover them completely). Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes. The pears should darken to a rich mahogany color as they cook.
3. When the pears are done (still firm but easily pierced with a fork), remove them from the oven. The liquid in the baking dish should be syr-upy. If it is not, transfer it to a saucepan and cook on the stove over a high heat until there are approximately 2 cups of syrup.
4. Place the pears in compote or similar dishes and cover with syrup. The pears may be served with a ricotta cream sauce (see following recipe).

1 hour 30 minutes