Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Wine Suggestion: Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Merlot
3 cups Whidbeys Port
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 black peppercorns
peel of ½ small orange
4 ripe Bartlett pears
In a large saucepan, heat the first 6 ingredients. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Peel the pears and place into the simmering liquid. Place a piece of parchment directly on the top of the liquid that is cut to fit the pan. Simmer about 15 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the liquid and set aside to cool. Strain the liquid and cool. When both are cool you can store the pears in the liquid up to 1 week. They will continue to darken from the wine.
8 oz. mascarpone
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
(optional)¼ cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts and chopped dried cherries
Mix the above ingredients until well combined. Place into a piping bag. Drain the pears well. Core the pears from the bottom with a parisienne knife (melon ball scoop). Then pipe the filling into the space. Place on the serving plate with the filled side down and pour some of the reserved liquid around the pear. Or cut the pears in half and scoop out the core and fill the center with the mascarpone.
