Summer Peaches And Pears Marinated In Red Wine And Warm Spices Food

SPICED RED WINE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, combine wine, sugar, orange juice, zest, cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. While liquid is simmering, peel pears, leaving stem intact and being careful not to blemish the flesh of the pears. Slice 1/2-inch off the bottom of the pears to create a flat bottom. Gently place pears in poaching liquid, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to ensure even color, until pears are cooked but still firm. Remove saucepan from flame, uncover and cool with pears upright in pan. Once cool, cover and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally, if desired. Gently remove pears from liquid and allow to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, reduce liquid by about half over a medium-high flame for 15 minutes, until liquid is thicker and slightly syrupy. Remove from flame and let liquid come to room temperature. Drizzle each pear with 2 tablespoons syrup and serve.

SPICED RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Halve the lemon, and remove 3 wide strips of rind. Peel the pears, leaving a topknot of skin and the stem, if it's attached; rub with the cut lemon. Working from the bottom, core the pears.
• Choose a pot that will hold the pears snugly. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit inside the pot. Cut 4 slices from the lemon and put them, the strips of zest and all the other ingredients - except the pears - into the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and add the pears, tops up - it's O.K. if they're not fully submerged. Cover with the paper circle and the pot's lid.
• Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes - the pears should still be slightly firm but easily pierced with the tip of a knife; transfer them to a bowl. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, pour over the fruit and discard the spices. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled, with or without cream.

POACHED PEARS IN SPICED RED WINE

Steps:

• Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to pan, then lower in the pears.
• Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 mins, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears - they should be tender all the way through when pierced with a cocktail stick. You can make these up to 2 days ahead and chill.
• Take the pears from the pan, then boil the liquid to reduce it by half so that it's syrupy. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon and a small thyme sprig.

SUMMER PEACHES AND PEARS MARINATED IN RED WINE AND WARM SPICES

Steps:

• Begin by preparing your fruit. Peel and pit the peaches. Cut into quarters and then cut each quarter in half. Next, peel, core, and halve the pears. Cut each pear half lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Transfer fruit to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Begin the marinade -- In a large, heavy saucepot combine together the wine, orange and lemon zest, sugar, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean; add the bean. Give a good stir; over medium heat bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the marinade is boiling; reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes; add raisins during last two minutes.
• Pour the warm marinade over the peaches and pears. Give a gentle toss to generoulsy coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour; stir occassionally.
• Serve with plenty of the sweet juices, and top with a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt, and a sprinkling of walnuts.

SUMMER PEACH

Steps:

• Add the thyme leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Fill with the ice and add the wine, peach nectar, vodka, lemon juice and agave and shake well. Strain over ice into a large white wine glass. Garnish with a peach slice and thyme sprig.

POACHED PEARS IN RED WINE WITH ANISE AND LEMON

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large pot. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Peel, halve and core pears. Add pears, rounded side down, to cooking liquid. Return cooking liquid to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until pears are tender, basting occasionally with cooking liquid if necessary, about 25 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl.
• Strain cooking liquid; discard solids. Return cooking liquid to pot. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Pour syrup over pears. Chill until pears are cold, at least 3 hours or overnight. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Scoop frozen yogurt onto plates. Place pears on plates. Spoon sauce over pears.