Six Servings

Poaching Mixture:

1 bottle red wine ( French or American Merlot)

6 cups water

1 ½  cups sugar

peel of 1 orange

2 sticks cinnamon

2 stars anise*

6 slightly under- ripe Bosc pears

2 lemons, cut in half

2 tablespoons chopped candied ginger, for garnish (optional)

1. Mix the ingredients of the Poaching Mixture in a large, non-aluminum pot. Bring to boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

2. Peel the pears, leaving the stem on. Rub the surface with the cut lemons to prevent them from turning brown. Lower the pears into the poaching liquid and squeeze the juice from the lemons into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil again, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered until pears are tender, about 40 to minutes. Test by piercing the pears with a knife. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a bowl.

3. Strain out the seasonings (orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and star anise) and discard. Pour 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced. Pour the syrup over the pears. Serve warm or chilled for at least 3 hours with a little syrup. Sprinkle the top with the candied ginger. The pears can be poached 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

Photo: ParichBorin@Omaruoka

Six Servings

10 cups water
11/2 cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
8 slices fresh, unpeeled ginger, about the size of a quarter, smashed lightly with the flat edge of a knife
6 slightly underripe Bosc or Anjou pears
2 lemons

1. In a large pot, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger. Heat until boiling, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes so that the flavors marry.
2. Using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, peel the pears, and rub the outside with cut lemons to prevent them from turning brown.
3. Squeeze the juice from the lemons and add along with the pears to the cinnamon liquid. Heat until boiling and reduce the heat to low, so that the water barely boils. Cook uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pears are just tender. You can poke them with the tip of a knife to test them. Remove and place in a bowl.
4. Transfer about 3 cups of the cooking liquid to a smaller saucepan. (Discard any ginger and cinnamon sticks.) Heat until boiling, reduce heat to medium, and cook about 35 minutes, or until the liquid thickens slightly. It should be more like syrup.
5.Arrange the pears in serving bowls and pour the cinnamon-ginger syrup on top. Serve. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
© Copyright Nina Simonds