POACHED PEARS IN SPICED WHITE WINE

INGREDIENTS serves 4
- 750ml white wine
- 1 cup of caster sugar
- 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ lemon rind
- 4 firm pears, peeled and cored (leaving the stem intact)
- Hot water

PREPARATION
Place all ingredients but pears into a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Decrease the heat to medium low, place pears in the liquid. Pears must be immersed - add some hot water if needed - cover and cook for 40 minutes or until pears are tender but not falling apart. Remove pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and reserve in the refrigerator.
Wine syrup
Sieve cooking liquid and reduce it to syrup consistency. Place in the refrigerator until cool.
Spoon sauce over the pears just before serving.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE ALTERNATIVE
INGREDIENTS    - 100gr dark     - 30gr butter, cubed      - ¼ cup hot water         - roasted flaked almonds
Place 15gr butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. Add water and keep stirring until homogenous and finish with the rest of butter. Pour over pears just before serving and sprinkle a few roasted flaked almonds.

Facebook Chez Marie Clement, call 04 10 733 278 or e-mail mlfc78@gmail.com