Wine Poached Pears

Red Wine-Poached Pears with vanilla cream & toasted walnuts.

This is a wonderful dessert that looks really fancy but is super easy to make. Keep the left over Wine sauce and put on your stove on low for a nice potpourri smell in your home. Sometimes I will split the pears in half and take out the pithy center to make it easier to eat.

Bartlett & Anjou pears hold up better than most varieties to extended cooking time, but you can substitute Bosc.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 2 hours.

1 Bottle red wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon whole cloves
4 Pears of choice, peeled. Leave on stems

Heat wine, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon stick and cloves over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
Add pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until pears are tender apx 1.5 hours. Turn occasionally.

While pears are simmering, make the cream sauce.

1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Keep cold.

1/4 cup walnuts. Put in pan with butter on low until toasted. Stir often.
You can also use sliced almonds.