Cinnamon Cabernet Poached Pears Over Raspberry Coulis with Whipped Cream and Mint

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe, but not mushy Bosc pears, washed, halved, and cored with stems on
½ C water
1/3 C Cabernet Sauvignon red wine
3 T Olivezia Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar
3 T white sugar
2 T salted butter
½ t allspice
½ t cinnamon
½ t black pepper

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a small 8-inch square glass baking dish with foil so it comes up the sides. This keeps the wine from seeping onto the dish and burning. Place the halves in the dish, cut half side up.
• Mix the water, wine, balsamic, and sugar together well to make the syrup.
• Pour the cabernet syrup in the dish ladling a bit on the pears. You want the pears close together and the liquid to come up ¼ inch on the pears.
• Dot each of the pears with the butter, equally divided, placed the dot in the depression where the core used to be. Sprinkle with the allspice and cinnamon and lightly dust with the cracked black pepper.
• Bake for 45 – 65 minutes, basting the pears every 20 minutes. Check often to make sure they don’t burn. If your pears are small, they will take less time.
• Remove, cool, and serve over a slurry of the raspberry coulis, (see recipe below) a dollop of whipped cream, and finely chopped mint.

COULIS:

1-pint fresh raspberries, about 2 C, 1/3 C white sugar, 3 t good vanilla

Simmer in a metal saucepan for about 15 minutes at a low bubble. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Transfer cooked fruit to a blender and pulse then blend until completely puréed. Press through a fine sieve and push all liquid through with seeds and large pieces remaining. This is a bit arduous, but the smooth coulis cannot have seeds and is totally worth it!