Cooking with Wine - Zinfandel Poached Pears

At the Eristavi Winery, we love food and wine, all together, all at once. We eat, we drink. We drink, and we eat. It is our modus operandi and we can’t stop. To us, there is nothing more sublime than a delicious glass of our 2009 Syrah paired with the perfect steak. But that is for another post. Today, our thoughts are on the wine before its on the table and while its still in the kitchen.

 Zinfandel Poached Pears

Ruby excellence and savory decadence. Red wine poached pears are a perfect after meal treat that compliment the elegance of dinner or even the playfulness of breakfast or lunch. The recipe plays on the pear’s mellow sweetness together with the berry and dark cherry notes of the 2009 Zinfandel in addition to touches of cinnamon and vanilla flavors.

Albeit, the 2010 Zinfandel will add some exquisite pepperiness, perfect for the dish, the 2009 Zinfandel was what we used when we gave the recipe a go.

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Peeled, Cored and Sliced Pears (recommend Bosc or Anjou)
• 1 1/2 cups of 2009 Eristavi Zinfandel
• 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (can also add lemon zest if desired)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except pears, and bring to a boil. Once the wine mixture is boiling, turn heat down to a simmer and add the pears. Simmer peeled and sliced pears for 10-12 minutes and then turn pears and simmer for an additional 8-10 minutes - until they are tender and are easily poked through with a fork. Remove pears and let them cool. Boil wine sauce until the liquid has been reduced by half. Pour sauce over pears and serve with either marscapone, crème fraiche or Devonshire cream.