Target: 6 × 4 inches · landscape

Slow-Cooker Red-Wine Poached Pears

215 min · 6 servings

Ingredients

□ 6 firm Bosc pears

□ 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine

□ 1/3 cup granulated sugar

□ 4 wide strips orange peel (from 1 orange)

□ 1 cinnamon stick

□ 2 whole star anise

□ 1 tsp vanilla extract

□ 1 tbsp lemon juice

□ 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

□ 1 cup mascarpone

1. Peel and lemon-brush the pears. Stir wine, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon, star anise, vanilla, and salt in the slow cooker.

2. Coat pears in the spiced wine, cover, and cook on LOW until a thin knife meets slight resistance.

3. Lift pears carefully. Strain the wine into a saucepan and discard the spices and orange peel.

4. For chilled service, cover pears with a little poaching liquid and chill. Simmer the rest to a glossy syrup.

5. Plate pears with syrup and serve with mascarpone, warm or chilled.

Cook’s note: Stop cooking while the pears still offer slight resistance so they keep their shape.