Because this dessert contains red wine, save it for a special occasion rather than an everyday dessert.  This recipe is taken from my cookbook ‘Healthy eating for the menopause’.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours’ soaking

Cooking: about 20 minutes

 

2 tablespoons of sultanas

1 tablespoon of cider vinegar

1 lemon

4 large firm pears

300ml/0.5 pint red wine

3 tablespoons honey

1 cinnamon stick

1 level tablespoon black peppercorns

Yogurt, to serve

 

At least two hours before you intend to cook the pears, put the sultanas in a small bowl and pour over the vinegar and the juice of half the lemon. Toss to mix well. 

 

Peel the pears and halve them carefully lengthwise, leaving the stalks attached to one half. Scoop out the cores.

 

Pour the red wine into a saucepan just big enough to hold the pear halves snugly. Heat gently and stir in the honey, cinnamon, peppercorns and 3 tablespoons of the remaining lemon juice. 

 

When the honey has dissolved, put the pears in the liquid and spoon some over their tops. Cover and poach at the gentlest possible simmer for 15-20 minutes turning the pears from time to time and spooning liquid over them, until the pears are translucent and tender but still quite firm. 

 

Remove the pears to a serving dish and strain the liquid. When the pears are cool enough to handle, stuff the cavities of four of the pear halves with a mounded spoonful of the macerated sultanas. Reassemble with the other matching pear half and wrap tightly in greaseproof paper.  Put the pear packages and liquid to chill in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.

 

To serve, unwrap the packages and spoon over some of the reserving poaching liquid. Serve with some plain yoghurt flavoured with a couple of spoonfuls of the poaching liquid. 

 

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