Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears

By Dorie Greenspan

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears
John Kernick for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophie Glasser.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(248)
Comments
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As elegant as they are delicious, poached pears are a splendid finish to dinners dressy or plain. Here, the poaching syrup is red wine, honey and good cold-weather spices: cloves, cinnamon and star anise. Look for pears that are ripe but still firm, and if you can, choose pears that have stems — they make for a more attractive dish. You can serve the pears soon after they’re made or you can cover and refrigerate them in their syrup and serve them chilled or at room temperature. They’re good on their own or alongside whipped cream or crème fraîche.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 1lemon
  • 6ripe but firm pears
  • 2cups (480 milliliters) red wine
  • ½cup (120 milliliters) water
  • 3tablespoons sugar
  • 3tablespoons honey
  • 2whole cloves
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 1whole star anise
  • Lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

246 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 34 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 7 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Halve the lemon, and remove 3 wide strips of rind. Peel the pears, leaving a topknot of skin and the stem, if it’s attached; rub with the cut lemon. Working from the bottom, core the pears.

  2. Step 2

    Choose a pot that will hold the pears snugly. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit inside the pot. Cut 4 slices from the lemon and put them, the strips of zest and all the other ingredients — except the pears — into the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and add the pears, tops up — it’s O.K. if they’re not fully submerged. Cover with the paper circle and the pot’s lid.

  3. Step 3

    Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes — the pears should still be slightly firm but easily pierced with the tip of a knife; transfer them to a bowl. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, pour over the fruit and discard the spices. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled, with or without cream.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
248 user ratings
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Comments

Katherine

I'm curious: why the parchment paper?

Krausova

It's easier to core tbe pears before peeling them!

Jacqueline

If you can find Beaujolais Village that's my favorite for this, or a light Gamay so you get the fruitiness in the wine, but that's just my personal taste. It is called Poires a la beaujolaise by Paul Bocuse though, whose instructions also include 5 black peppercorns as "indispensable". He uses an entire bottle of Beaujolais for 6 pears and makes a syrup first with 3/4 c sugar, orange and lemon slices, peppercorn, clove and cinnamon.

lisa San Diego

I find that a little cardamom adds a lovely note of fragrance and mystery!

Georgina

Excellent. And: absolutely no need to core the pears.

mizbrown2u

I use a melon baller to scoop out the core, working from the bottom of the pear. Works like a charm and they stand up on their bottoms in the pot.

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