Our new friend Paula McDermid kindly shared with us the gorgeous pictures she took at the beginning of June. I particularly love this picture of those cute pears, which were delicious!
That morning, chef Maria bought those seasonal pears in the market. You only can find those small and tasty pears in June and we call them ‘peres de Sant Joan’ -St. John’s pears-, as they only ripen around the summer solstice.
PERAS ESPECIADAS AL VINO / Pears in spiced wine
Ingredients (serves 5)
- 5 medium pears
- 350 ml of red cooking wine
- 100 ml of water
- 200 gr of sugar
for the spice bouquet
- star anise
- cinnamon stick
- black pepper corns
- Jamaica pepper corns
- Cloves
Method
- Peal the whole pear and cut in halves taking the hard center. Soak them in water with a few slices of lemon. Refrigerate.
- In a pot, mix the wine, the sugar, the water and the spice bouquet. Heat at medium-high heat, until it reduces 1/4 of its contents. Then add the pears and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced half way and the pears are red.
- Remove the pears and let them sit until cooled down, keep reducing the liquid (without the spice bouquet) until it has a silky caramel texture and brightness.
- Use some of the wine caramel to decorate and serve the pears on top. Decorate if desired with orange zest and slices of orange.
