Poached Pears with Whipped Mascarpone

The simplicity of this dish is in its perfection. Poaching the pears in a spiced red wine render them tender and even more pear-y— if that’s possible—and also turns them a deep ruby-like jewel tone that is even more eye-pleasing when sliced. While you can serve these gems up in a myriad of ways, I like them simply drizzled with some honey, a crunch of granola and a dollop of creamy mascarpone.

---

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 bottle light red wine, such as Pinot Noir
1 cup raw sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 slices of lemon peel
4 Bosc pears, peeled with stems intact
1 cup mascarpone, room temperature
2 tbsp milk
½ cup granola
Honey, for finishing
Flaky sea salt, for finishing

METHOD

In a large saucepan, bring red wine, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, star anise and lemon peel to a boil. Add peeled pears and reduce to a simmer. Add additional wine or water to ensure pears are submerged. Poach pears for 20-30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove pears and reduce liquid by half.

While pears are poaching make the whipped mascarpone. Combine mascarpone and milk in a small bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.

To serve, slice pears into wedges. Use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop out core. Place halves in serving dish with a few spoonful’s of sauce, then top with mascarpone, garnish with granola, drizzle with honey and finish flaky sea salt.