Zinfandel Pears

Instructions

1. 1

   each. Leave stems intact. Discard seeds and cores. Wash and julienne a bunch of basil. 2. Place wine and sugar in a medium nonaluminum saucepan. Add julienned basil and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Place pears upright in poaching liquid, reduce heat, and simmer until pears are tender and do not offer resistance when pierced with a sharp knife (about 20 minutes). 3. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish. Return syrup to a boil and reduce by half to about 1 cup (about 10 minutes). Pour syrup over pears and cool for 3 hours in refrigerator. 4. To serve, place pears in stemmed glasses, spooning some of the cooking juices over each fruit. Garnish with basil leaves. Zinfandel Peaches: Follow recipe for Zinfandel Pears; substitute 6 peaches for pears. Peel peaches with a sharp knife, or dip in a pan of boiling water for about 1 minute to loosen skin and peel by hand. Halve and remove pit. Place in poaching liquid and cook until tender (15 to 20 minutes). Proceed with recipe. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Pears, peaches, apples, and quince are among the many fruits that taste sensational when poached in red wine. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the fruit; chilled in a wineglass; as the filling of a fruit tart; or warm with Chocolate Fudge Sauce. Mint is in the same herb family as basil and may be substituted for the basil in the recipe.