Dutch Stoofperen: Slow-Simmered Red Wine Pears with Cinnamon and Clove for Fall Suppers

Peel the pears, leaving the stems attached. Trim a thin slice from the base of each so they can stand upright, and rub them with the lemon juice to keep them from browning.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 firm, slightly underripe pears (Bosc or Gieser Wildeman), about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg
• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons red currant or blackcurrant jelly (optional, for color)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 strip lemon peel, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Lightly whipped cream or vanilla custard, for serving

Instructions

1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems attached. Trim a thin slice from the base of each so they can stand upright, and rub them with the lemon juice to keep them from browning.
2. Combine the wine, water, sugar, jelly, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon peel in a saucepan just wide enough to hold the pears snugly. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Lay the pears in the liquid. They should be mostly submerged; add a little more water if needed. Cover with a round of parchment pressed onto the surface, then a lid set slightly ajar.
4. Simmer over the lowest possible heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning the pears every 30 minutes, until they are tender all the way through and have turned a deep, even red.
5. Lift the pears out gently with a slotted spoon and stand them in a serving dish.
6. Strain the liquid, return it to the pan and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until reduced by about half. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1 minute until lightly syrupy, then stir in the vanilla.
7. Pour the warm syrup over the pears. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or custard, spooning extra syrup over each portion.
8. Stoofperen, 'stewing pears', are a Dutch autumn tradition built around hard cooking pears that are almost inedible raw but turn tender and ruby-red after hours at a bare simmer. In the Netherlands they are served two ways: as a dessert with cream, and as a sweet-tart side dish next to game, roast pork or hachee at Sunday dinner. The scent of pears, cinnamon and wine simmering on the stove is, for many Dutch families, the smell of October.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 210 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 36g
• Sodium: 5mg