Pears Poached in Spiced Red Wine - orange

Method

• Cut circle of parchment paper the size of pot to be used.
• Cut small hole in center to allow steam to escape.
• Use vegetable peeler to cut 2 3/4-inch-wide strips of orange peel.
• Halve orange, and squeeze out 1/2 cup juice.
• Combine orange peel and juice, wine, sugar, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup water in large pot.
• Bring to a boil over heat, and cook 2 minutes to dissolve sugar.
• Remove from heat.
• Cut thin slab off bottom of each pear and stand upright.
• Working from bottom of pear, use small melon baller to scoop out seeds and core.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact.
• Return wine mixture to a boil over high heat.
• Set pears in wine mixture.
• If liquid does not cover completely, top off with up to 1 cup water.
• Bring to gentle simmer, and cover pot with parchment circle.
• (Small bubbles should break surface of water around edges, not bubble up from bottom of pot.)
• Reduce heat to maintain temperature, and poach pears 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
• Remove from heat; cool in liquid.
• Transfer pears and liquid to bowl; chill in refrigerator.
• Place pears in dessert bowls.
• Strain 3 cups syrup into wide saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Boil 5 to 7 minutes, or until syrup is reduced to about 1 cup.
• Pour hot syrup over pears.