Ingredients for 4 people
4 pears not very mature
125 gr. sugar
half a bottle of red wine
a spoonful of lemon juice
the skin of an orange or lemon
a sachet of vanilla sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
2 cloves
star anise (optional)
cardamom (optional)
Peel the pears, which should be ripe but firm, so as to endure cooking. Are best left the stems.
Prepare a thick bottom saucepan, just large enough to fit the pears, a syrup by heating the sugar until melted, without caramelize. Add at this point the lemon juice, orange rind and spices.
Stir a few seconds adding red wine. Place peeled pears in the syrup and cook, covered, over low heat 30 minutes, or until very tender remaining pears. Check cooking inserting a skewer or thin knife, which should easily penetrate to the heart.
Let cool in the same syrup.