Pears in Red Wine (With Juniper and Cinnamon)
Serves: 2. Prep: 30 mins (plus time to chill).
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 firm, ripe pears, peeled, left whole and with the stems still attached
- 285ml red wine
- 285ml water
- 80g castor sugar
- 4 juniper berries
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 2 tsp cornflour
METHOD:
- Pour the wine and water into a large saucepan pan–not a shallow frying pan.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon and juniper berries.
- Place over medium heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves.
- Trim the bases of the peeled pears so that they will stand upright.
- Place the pears in the pan of liquid, on their sides, so they are almost submerged.
- On a low/medium heat, bring to simmering point, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are tender.
- Turn pears once during the cooking.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pears to cool in the poaching liquid, turning them over occasionally to ensure that they colour evenly.
- A few hours before you are ready to serve, remove the pears from the poaching liquid and place them in serving dishes.
- Blend the cornflour with a little liquid taken from the pan and stir into the remaining liquid in the pan.
- Place the pan over moderate heat and stir until the syrup has thickened. Simmer for one minute then take off the heat.
- Cool for a few minutes, then pour over the pears.
- Chill the pears for several hours.
- Serve with the red wine sauce (a little cream can be added).
