Scarlet Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 2 cups Orange Muscat such as Essencia (from a 750-ml bottle)
• 1 medium red beet (1/4 pound), peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
• 3 small firm-ripe pears (3/4 to 1 pound total), such as Forelle, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring wine, beet, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and bay leaves to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quarts saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

2. 2

   Add pears and cover with a round of parchment paper. Simmer, turning occasionally, until pears are tender and liquid is syrupy, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pears to a bowl. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves and pour syrup over pears. Cool completely in syrup, about 30 minutes.