Spiced Pears In Red Wine

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 10 Seckel pears (about 2 3/4 pounds), peeled
• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle Merlot or other red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 (3 x 1-inch) orange rind strips
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 5 teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger

1. Sprinkle lemon juice over pears; drain.
2. Combine wine and next 4 ingredients (wine through cinnamon) in a large non-aluminum Dutch oven. Add star anise, if desired; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Add pears; simmer 10 minutes or until tender, turning pears occasionally. Remove pears from wine mixture using a slotted spoon. Place in a shallow bowl; set aside.
3. Bring wine mixture to a boil over high heat; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 cups. Discard solids. Spoon reduced wine mixture over pears; sprinkle with ginger.

lemon juice, merlot, sugar, orange rind strips, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, anise, ginger

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spiced-pears-red-wine (may not work)