Poached Pear in Red Wine

Is good food expensive? Not necessary. If this dessert is served at a fine dining restaurant, it might be. But if you cook it at home, you just need to spend a dollar or so.

Pears are in season here. Every pear looks perfect with high quality, yet sold at bargain price from supermarkets at the moment. A while back ago, when my daughter and I watched a MasterChef episode, but not sure which one, right at the moment when a beautiful poached pear dessert was presented, she asked me to cook one as she’s ever had tried before. How a big fan of pears could resist the temptation to try this gorgeous dessert? Fast forward to now, upon spotting several beautiful pears in our fridge, she brought up the same old question, then kept asking me the same question whenever she took one out to enjoy. Finally, I made this dessert to satisfy her craving. I really don’t know why I dragged it so long to make this simple, but heavenly delicious dessert.

Poached Pear in Red Wine (Printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 pears, peeled
• 200 ml red wine
• 100 gm sugar, or to taste
• 1 cinnamon stick/cinnamon quill
• 2 strips orange rind, each size about 1x3cm

Method:

1. In a deep, small saucepan, combine sugar and wine. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients into the saucepan. Place a piece of baking paper on top, cover with a lid. Reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Turn to other side, continue to cook 15 minutes. Repeat this step, until the pears are evenly tinted, softened and absorb the flavours of sauce. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly in the sauce. Serve pears at room temperature or still slightly warm, drizzled with sauce, and cream if desired.

Notes:

1. Placing a piece of baking paper will keep the top of pears moist while cooking
2. Simmer pears on low heat. Don’t use too high flame, otherwise the outside would easily be broken down while the inside is still stiff.
3. The longer the cooking time, the deeper colour of the pears you'd get.