Simple, elegant and totally delicious. Thomas used this recipe.
Before you start, make sure to find a saucepan that’s just the right size to fit 6 Beurré Bosc pears in an upright position. In the saucepan combine ½ a cup of sugar, a large piece of orange rind, 8 – 10 whole cloves, 1 stick of cinnamon, 2 cups of red wine, ½ a cup of fresh orange juice and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the poaching liquid is ready you can peel the pears (any earlier and they will discolour) leaving the stems intact, and lower them into the poaching liquid. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pears a few times to make sure they poach evenly. When they are soft, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the pears cool upright in the liquid. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Before serving, remove the pears from the liquid and reduce the liquid to a syrup. Serve with some syrup and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
michelle picker cooks 