Author Notes
This is a dish that I have adapted (very lightly) from a classic Elizabeth David recipe. I love its simplicity - you douse the pears in wine, add sugar (and I like to add a few whole spices), and then leave it all to simmer gently in the oven for hours. The longer the fruit sits, the more tender and flavorsome it becomes. But above all, I love how when I cook this dish, the whole house fills with the scent of wine—when it is chilly and storming outside, I just can’t think of anything more cozy and warming. I usually serve the pears as a dessert, perhaps with a drizzle of double cream or a chunk of cheese (a good gorgonzola is particularly nice). But if I have a few leftover (they keep for a good few days in the fridge) I will serve them up with pan fried pork chops—delicious. —Skye | From My Dining Table
Ingredients
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6
pears
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180 grams
caster sugar
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370 milliliters
red wine
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1 tablespoon
crushed cloves
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6 to 8
cardamom pods
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 280° F (140° C).
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Peel the pears, leaving the steams on, and lay them in an ovenproof dish.
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Sprinkle the sugar over the pears, then pour in the wine and add the spices.
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Set the dish in the oven and bake for 5 hours, gently turning the pears every now and again.
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Serve warm or chilled, with the reduced red wine syrup and a drizzle of double cream, or a generous slice of cheese.
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