POACHED SECKEL PEARS WITH CLOVE GRANITE

Poached Seckel Pears With Clove Granite image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories dessert

Time 3h20m

Yield Four servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 cups water
25 cloves
1 cup light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 750-ml bottle gewurztraminer
3 cloves
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced
12 Seckel pears, peeled

Steps:

For the granite, combine the water, cloves and light-brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the cloves and stir in the vinegar. Pour into a shallow metal pan and place in the freezer. Freeze until firm but not frozen solid, about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
For the pears, combine the wine, cloves, honey and nutmeg in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the lemon and orange slices and the pears. Cover and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pears and fruit slices with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Raise the heat and simmer the poaching liquid until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Coat 4 plates with the poaching liquid and place 3 pears in the center of each plate. Arrange the orange and lemon slices around the pears and place a scoop of the granite beside them. Serve immediately.