Poached Pears with Cardamom-Cranberry Sauce

By Hklbrries

Great with spice bread or cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 (2-by-2-inch) orange peel strips
• 1/2 tsp (generous) ground cardamom
• 2 firm but ripe pears, peeled (Comice or red Bartlett are great)

Preparation

Step 1

Combine wine, cranberries, sugar, water, cloves, peel and cardamom in a heavy medium saucepan. Add pears, reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning pears once, till pears are tender when pierced with point of a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer pears to bowl with slotted spoon. Cool and chill.

Boil poaching liquid until reduced to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Strain into bowl, pressing on peels and spices to get all juice and flavor. At dessert time, rewarm sauce over medium heat; stand chilled pears on plates (with scoop of frozen yogurt or vanilla ice cream, if used, next to each pear). Drizzle warm sauce over all, serve. Dazzling!