Port Wine Poached Crimson Pears with Sour Cream & Peaches

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

2 ripe Stark Crimson Pears
1/3 C fine Port wine
1/8 C water
3 plus 2 T brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 T butter
Drop or 2 of vanilla extract
Zest from ½ lemon
Juice from half a lemon
½ C sour cream
Small slices of peach
4 Lemon thyme sprigs

Direction:

• Cut pears in half lengthwise. Gently dig out the seeds in the center
• Rub the lemon half over each exposed pear half.
• Mix the sour cream with the 2 T brown sugar. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the port wine, water, cinnamon, 3 T of brown sugar. Butter the bottom of a small, shallow baking dish. Place each of the pear halves, cut side up in the dish. Pour the port wine mixture over the pears. Put a small pad of butter in the indentation of each indentation where the seeds used to be. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes and then 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• To place nestle each halve over the port wine syrup, spoon some of the sour cream mixture on top, add a small slice of peach, and dust with the lemon thyme.