Pears are in season and these days, there are varieties that are available over most of the year, so it is always the time to stew these luscious fruits. They can be served equally well hot or cold so choose a variety that is available and see how easy to cook and how delicious they are when combined with sweet white wine, vanilla bean, cinnamon and cloves.

Dominique’s Stewed Pears in Spiced Wine Syrup

Ingredients:

• 6 beurre bosc pears or any other variety suitable for cooking
• 600 ml water
• 400 mls Moscato Sauvignon blanc or other sweet white wine
• 400 g sugar
• ½  vanilla bean
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon quill
• juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Using a heavy saucepan, like an enamelled cast iron pan, place water, sweet wine, lemon juice on a medium heat, add sugar and cook to till dissolved
2. Then add in the spices and vanilla bean and cinnamon quill
3. Carefully peel the 6 pears leaving the stem
4. Carefully lower the pears into the syrup, cover each pear with some baking paper and bring to the boil and then lower the heat to simmer
5. Cover each pear with some baking paper
6. Simmer for I ½ hours then turn off and leave till cold or  serve warm with ice cream

Variation:

Sweet red wine may substitute for the white wine or you may choose to use water only and add a little more sugar to the syrup.

If pears are not available at this time of year where you live, you can use canned pears. Make the syrup as described and the cook the pears for a short time.