Port Poached Pears With Pecan Mascarpone

Total Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 firm bosc pears, washed, peeled (reserve peels, stems intact)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups good quality port wine
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• orange zest, in large strips
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 4 ounces very finely chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Recipe

• 1 in a covered saucepan large enough to hold the pears in a single layer, place the pear peels, sugar, port, cinnamon, and orange zest. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. remove pear peels and discard.
• 2 with a slotted spoon, gently add the pears to the poaching liquid. if necessary, add up to 1 cup of water to completely cover the pears. a small plate, set over the pears, will help keep them submerged. leave the cover ajar and simmer gently 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer poked into a pear center meets little resistance.
• 3 using the slotted spoon, remove the pears from their liquid and stand upright in a serving dish deep enough for the reduced liquid to be poured over. remove zest and cinnamon stick (or strain liquid) and continue simmering to reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency.
• 4 for the pecan mascarpone, mix mascarpone, pecans and sugar until well blended. serve with pears.
• 5 pour syrup over the pears.