Red Wine Poached Pears

(serves 8)

This was my first time poaching fruit, the smell of the spices is delicious and i think the colour of red-wine poached pears is half the appeal! After they've been poached and cooled, i was amazed at how much more colour was absorbed from soaking overnight, what a beautiful deep mahogany...

Tip: If you want a nice even colour throughout you need to make sure they are fully soaked! However, i like how this artistic accident resulted in a beautiful two-toned pear, as Char put it.

Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: 20-25 min


Ingredients:
8 small pears
2 tsp cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
1/3 C caster sugar
2 C red wine
1-2 C water (or enough to cover the pears)
circle of baking paper
Extra 1/3 C sugar (if reducing to syrup)

Method:
1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems on.
2. Heat the wine and water in a deep pot with the cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and sugar until the sugar is melted.
3. Gently place the pears in the liquid, and top up water if needed.
4. Cut a piece of baking paper into a circle that fits over the top of the pears. Fold into a triangle and cut a small circle in the middle, then open it up and place on top of the pears.
NB. This ensures the pears are covered and cook more evenly in the liquid. The hole in the middle allows the steam to come through.
4. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-25 minutes until they are soft when pierced with a knife.
NB. It has to meet no resistance at all, they don't seem to continue to cook in the heat at all, so it needs to be as soft as you want to serve them!

5. Let them cool in the liquid for about 10-20 minutes, then refrigerate in its syrup overnight.

6. For the syrup, strain the syrup into a pot and add 1/3 C sugar and bring to the boil. Keep it on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes until it reduces to half the volume.
7. Serve the pears at room temperature (leave out of fridge for a few hours), or chilled with syrup drizzled over it.


Storage: Can keep for up to 1 week, so can be prepared in advance for dinner parties!