Chai-Poached Pears Makes 4 servings Ingredients: 2 cinnamon sticks 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, crushed with a knife to crack the skin 20 cardamom pods, cracked 24 black peppercorns 4 firm but ripe medium-sized pears Directions: * In a pot large enough to hold the 4 pears, combine 10 cups water with the cinnamon sticks, ginger, cardamom, and peppercorns. * Bring the water to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and continue simmering for 20 minutes to infuse the water with the spices. * Wash the pears and cut them in half, leaving the peels on and cores and stems intact. * Add the pears to the spice-infused water, cover the pot, and simmer until they are poached. They should be tender enough that a knife easily pierces them but they still hold their shape; this can take from 45 minutes to 2 hours. (The duration varies depending on the variety of the pears and the ripeness of the fruit.) * Let sit in the poaching liquid, with the lid on the pot, for about 30 minutes until the pears are cool enough to serve. As the pears steep, the chai-spiced liquid will continue to infuse the fruit. * To serve, plate two pear halves per person. Spoon some of the poaching liquid over the pears. Each serving has 104 calories Cook’s Tip: The chai-spiced poaching liquid becomes a warming beverage when strained and served in a teacup. It’s also refreshing served over ice in a tall glass with a cinnamon stick.
