Wine Poached Pear with Rogue River Blue

Serves: 4 | Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 minutes | Level: Medium

Ingredients:

2 c. red wine (Syrah or Merlot work well)
½ c. water
½ c. orange juice
¾ c. sugar
8-12 peppercorns
½ cinnamon stick
3” piece vanilla bean (or 2 tsp. vanilla)
4 Bosc or Bartlett pears, slightly underripe, unblemished, stem attached
6 oz. Rogue River Blue

Directions:

The gorgeous hue of a fresh pear sparkles like a jewel beside an enticing wedge of our award winning Rogue River Blue. This easy, make-ahead dessert embraces the season and the region. What could be better?

Combine wine, water, orange juice and sugar in a medium stock pot. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add peppercorns, cinnamon and vanilla bean. Set aside.

Using a sharp paring knife, slice a small amount from the bottom of each pear to form a flat surface. Gently scoop out the core using a small spoon or melon scoop. Peel each pear using a vegetable peeler.*

Place pears in syrup and heat over medium high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook pears for 40 – 60 minutes, turning regularly to ensure even coloring. Remove pears and cool. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days until ready to serve.

Return syrup to a gentle boil and cook until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Strain and store syrup for plating. Leftover syrup makes a delicious ice cream topping.

Plate one pear with a 1.5 oz wedge of Rogue River Blue. Pour 2 tbsp. syrup over each pear and serve at room temperature. This recipe is also fabulous with Crater Lake Blue.

* For perfectly smooth results, gently rub the peeled pear with the green side of a clean scrubbing sponge. It will smooth peel marks perfectly.