Recipe Details

Summary

Name: Zinfandel Pears

Category: Chocolate

6 pears

1 small bunch fresh basil -- plus leaves

2 cups zinfandel wine

1/2 cup sugar

1. Peel pears. Core pears by cutting a cone-shaped wedge from the bottom of

each. Leave stems intact. Discard seeds and cores. Wash and julienne a bunch

of basil.

2. Place wine and sugar in a medium nonaluminum saucepan. Add julienned

basil and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Place pears upright in

poaching liquid, reduce heat, and simmer until pears are tender and do not offer

resistance when pierced with a sharp knife (about 20 minutes).

3. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish. Return syrup to a boil and

reduce by half to about 1 cup (about 10 minutes). Pour syrup over pears and cool

for 3 hours in refrigerator.

4. To serve, place pears in stemmed glasses, spooning some of the cooking

juices over each fruit. Garnish with basil leaves.

Zinfandel Peaches: Follow recipe for Zinfandel Pears; substitute 6 peaches for

pears. Peel peaches with a sharp knife, or dip in a pan of boiling water for about

1 minute to loosen skin and peel by hand. Halve and remove pit. Place in

poaching liquid and cook until tender (15 to 20 minutes). Proceed with recipe.

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NOTES : Pears, peaches, apples, and quince are among the many fruits that

taste sensational when poached in red wine. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla

ice cream melting over the fruit; chilled in a wineglass; as the filling of a fruit tart;

or warm with Chocolate Fudge Sauce. Mint is in the same herb family as basil

and may be substituted for the basil in the recipe.