Burgundy Poached Pears

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 medium firm ripe pears
• 1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 6 cups burgundy wine or 6 cups dry red wine
• 3 cups reduced-calorie cranberry juice cocktail
• 12 orange slices
• 3 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
• orange rind twists (optional)
• fresh mint sprig (optional)

Recipe

• 1 peel pears and remove core from bottom end, leaving stem intact.
• 2 if needed, slice about 1/4 inch from bottom of pears, so that they will sit flat.
• 3 brush pears with orange juice to prevent browning.
• 4 combine burgundy, cranberry juice, orange slices and cinnamon sticks in a dutch oven, bring to boil.
• 5 add pears, reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes until pears are tender, turning pears occasionally.
• 6 remove pears from pan, reserving 1 cup poaching liquid.
• 7 reserve remaining liquid.
• 8 discard orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
• 9 place each pear on a dessert plate.
• 10 top each pear with 2 tablespoons reserved poaching liquid.
• 11 garnish with orange rind curls and mint sprigs.
• 12 the remaining poaching liquid can be chilled and combined with chilled ginger ale to make a delicious wine punch.