Poached Seckel Pears With Clove Granite

• 3 cups water
• 25 cloves
• 1 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 750-ml bottle gewurztraminer
• 3 cloves
• 1/4 cup honey
• 18 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 12 Seckel pears, peeled

1. For the granite, combine the water, cloves and light-brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Set aside to cool.
4. Remove the cloves and stir in the vinegar.
5. Pour into a shallow metal pan and place in the freezer.
6. Freeze until firm but not frozen solid, about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
7. For the pears, combine the wine, cloves, honey and nutmeg in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce to a simmer and add the lemon and orange slices and the pears.
9. Cover and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes.
10. Remove the pears and fruit slices with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
11. Raise the heat and simmer the poaching liquid until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
12. Set aside to cool.
13. Coat 4 plates with the poaching liquid and place 3 pears in the center of each plate.
14. Arrange the orange and lemon slices around the pears and place a scoop of the granite beside them.
15. Serve immediately.

water, cloves, lightbrown sugar, balsamic vinegar, cloves, honey, ground nutmeg, lemon, orange

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3617 (may not work)