Red Wine Cranberry Poached Pears Food

RED WINE-POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• Add the pears, cherries, sugar and cornstarch to a large saucepot and mix to coat the fruit. Add the red wine, star anise and salt. Place the saucepot over direct heat, bring the mixture to a boil and cook, simmering, until the wine is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the saucepot from the heat and add the red wine vinegar. Discard the star anise. Let cool slightly.
• Serve by spooning over some vanilla bean ice cream.
• (Alternatively, you can poach the fruit over medium-high heat on a stovetop.)

RED WINE POACHED PEARS WITH MASCARPONE FILLING

Steps:

• Peel pears and leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cool pears in wine mixture to room temperature. You can refrigerate them in the poaching liquid until you're ready to fill them.
• Remove stems from pears and set stems aside. Core pears with an apple corer, leaving pear whole.
• Whisk together mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, pinch cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag, or if you do not have one, use wax paper tightly wrapped into a cone with the corner snipped off. Pipe filling into cored pears and finish by putting the stems gently into the mascarpone filling on top of the pears.
• Bring sauce up to a simmer and reduce by half. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir until combined. Spoon generously over pears. Cool to room temperature before serving.