PEARS POACHED IN EARL GREY TEA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Pears Poached in Earl Grey Tea with Dried Fruit image

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups water
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
2 large firm but ripe Bosc pears (about 12 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored
8 dried apricot halves
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup dried tart cherries*

Steps:

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add tea bags. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to tea and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add pears, apricots, and cloves. Cover and simmer until pears are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add cherries and simmer 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears, apricots, and cherries to bowl. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
Divide fruit and syrup among 4 bowls and serve.
*Dried tart cherries are available at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.