RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Red Wine Poached Pears image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 13h40m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

1 lemon
1 orange
1 bottle red wine (recommended: Shiraz/Syrah or Zinfandel)
8 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cloves
4 cardamom seeds
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
6 Bartlett pears, peeled
Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Steps:

Juice the lemon and orange, reserving the juiced citrus halves. Put the juice, citrus halves, wine, water, honey, ginger, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf in a wide saucepot. Gently place the pears into the liquid. Make a circle of parchment paper that is 1/2-inch larger than the pot and cover surface completely with the parchment paper (see Cook's Note*). Make sure the pears are fully submerged but not touching the bottom of the pot. Bring the poaching liquid and pears to a boil, then reduce the heat to just below a simmer.
Cook the pears until fork tender. Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife in the base; there should be little resistance when fully cooked. Gently transfer pears to a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour enough poaching liquid over pears just to cover. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight; the longer the pears soak, the darker they will become.
Strain remaining poaching liquid and return to saucepan. Cook over high heat until a syrupy consistency is achieved or the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Chill until the pears are served.
Use a parisienne scoop to remove each pear's core, hollowing out a 1-inch wide cavity that starts at the base and extends 3/4 of the way up the pear. Transfer the Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling to a piping bag without a tip. Gently fill the pear cavity until it slightly overflows. (The overflow will help to provide a sticky surface to stand the pear up on.) Place the pear, base side down, in a bowl and surround with 1-ounce of the syrup. Serve.
In a medium-sized bowl, cream the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla together. Stir in the pistachio nuts.
Use immediately or refrigerate and return to room temperature before filling the pears.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 203 calorie, Fat 0 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 10 milligrams, Carbohydrate 42 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 1 grams, Sugar 30 grams