Spiced Poached Pears

Place the pears in a large pot just wide enough to hold them standing upright. Add the wine, sugar, lemon zest and juice, ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks and water. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, set a heatproof plate or smaller pan lid on top of the pears to keep them submerged and simmer gently until a paring knife inserted into the widest part of a pear easily pierces to the center, about 25 minutes. Remove the plate and let the pears cool to room temperature in the liquid.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the pears from the liquid. Cut them in half and, using a melon baller, remove the cores. Set the halves in a heatproof bowl.

Bring the cooking liquid to a boil over high heat and boil until it is reduced by two-thirds, about 20 minutes. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve held over the pears and let the pears cool once again in the liquid. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the pears and liquid to a covered container and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

To serve, using a slotted spoon, transfer 2 pear halves to each plate. Spoon some of the syrup over the pears and serve. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi and Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003)