Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 6 firm pears, Bartlett, Bosc or Comice
• ¾ cup white or red wine
• ¾ cup white or red grape juice
• 2 oz brandy
• ½ cup sugar and 1⁄3 cup honey
• 1 lemon peel and 1 orange peel
• 3 cloves and 3 star anise
• 2 bay leaves or 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup blueberries

Chocolate Sauce

• 1½ cups dark chocolate, shredded
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup sweet Marsala or 1 tbsp Grand Marnier

Instructions

1. Peel pears, cut in half lengthwise and core.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (apart from blueberries), and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add pears and simmer very slowly for 20–25 minutes until pears are just barely tender.
4. Remove pears and cool liquid.
5. Once liquid is cool, return pears to the juice and store in the fridge 2–3 days, allowing pears to infuse with the flavours of the poaching liquid.
6. To serve, strain the poaching liquid and reduce until it has a syrupy texture.
7. Add blueberries and let cool.
8. Place a pool of syrup on 4 dessert plates and top with a poached pear, hollow side up.
9. Fill with fresh blueberries and garnish with whipped cream.
10. Chocolate Sauce: Over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter. Add Marsala or Grand Marnier. Stir until glossy and smooth.