Red Wine Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 6 bosc pears
• 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (sangiovese, cabernet, pinot noir for example)
• 1/2 cup sugar (120ml)
• 2 cinnamnon sticks
• 4 whole dried cloves
• Zest and juice of one tangerine or small orange

Directions

1. Empty the wine into a medium-sized saucepot and turn on the heat to medium-low.
2. Add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and the juice and zest of the tangerine or orange.
3. Begin to bring to a gentle simmer.
4. While the sauce is simmering, cut a very small amount of the bottom off the pears so they stand up straight.
5. With a potato peeler, peel the skin off the pears leaving the stem intact.
6. Add the pears to the liquid and simmer covered on medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Turn the pears every 10 or so minutes so have an even color on all sides.
7. Once the pears are done cooking, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool on the stove for about 15 minutes.
8. Transfer to the refrigerator and cool for an additional 2 hours.
9. Serve standing up drizzled with the sauce and a side of vanilla bean ice cream. Give people a fork and a knife because although they're tender you'll still need to cut through them.