Poached Pears filled with Almonds

Inspired by The Art of Italian Cooking

When done right, a poached pear is the ultimate fruit dessert— the warmth from the spices alongside the thick, syrupy wine sauce come together so harmoniously. This recipe definitely lives up to these expectations. After I made the decision to substitute sherry for cabernet, I found that this poached pear recipe balances complex flavors to make a truly comforting and bold dish. Alongside the natural sweetness from the pears that complement the tart, bold tasting notes of the cabernet and cherries, this particular recipe also balances very well the different textures. Pears are quite soft, only made more so because they are poached, but the almonds add a crunchy element to the dessert. In all, I really enjoyed testing and adapting this recipe because the original was already so delicious!

• 2 Anjou pears, peeled

• 2 cups cabernet red wine

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 cup whole almonds, unsalted and roasted

• 6 pitted cherries, chopped (can use frozen)

• Nutella for garnish

Yields: a serving for 2 or 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring the wine and the sugar to a boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Lower the heat and add the peeled pears.

3. Cover the pan and allow the pears to poach for 25 minutes.

4. Every few minutes, make sure to rotate the pears.

5. Once the pears are tender remove the saucepan from the heat.

6. Leave the pears to cool in the poaching liquid.

7. In the meantime. Place the almonds in a food processor and grind to a fine meal.

8. Place in a mixing bowl then add the chopped cherries. Set aside.

9. When the pears are cool enough to handle, remove from the liquid, place on a cutting board.

10. Cut in half.

11. Place the saucepan with the wine back on medium heat. Cook the poaching liquid for 20 minutes until it thickens slightly into a syrup.

12. Scoop out the core, and try to gently hollow out a bit more of the pear to get an opening that's 1 inch deep.

13. Spoon in the almond mixture.

14. To serve, place the wine syrup on a plate, top with a filled pear and top a little teaspoonful of Nutella for a chocolatey note.