INSTRUCTIONS
– orange peel – cinnamon sticks – cardamom pods, – whole cloves – gingerroot – red wine – ight brown sugar – emon, juiced – orange juiced – pears firm and ripe – vanilla ice cream
Lay out a piece of cheesecloth and place the orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, and gingerroot in the center.
Combine wine, brown sugar, lemon juice, and orange juice in a large pot, sitr well, then add the cheesecloth bundle.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat.
While the poaching liquid heats, peel the pears, leaving their stems intact, and take a small slice off the bottom of each pear so the bottom is flat.
Place pears in the poaching liquid so they are fully submerged, cover the pot, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until a pear can be easily pierced with a knife.
Remove pears and refrigerate, increase the heat to high, and reduce the liquid by one half.
To serve, place each pear on a plate with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of the reduced poaching liquid.
Pears can be made a day in advance. They can also be served warm if you prefer.