Wine Poached Pears
5 Pears (Red pears are best if in season)
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Pear Ginger Preserves
1/2 Vanilla bean, split
Zest of 1 orange
Halve the pears. With a spoon, scoop out cores and discard. Slice pears to desired thickness. In a large saucepan, combine Riesling, water, sugar, preserves, and orange zest. Scrape inside of vanilla bean into mixture, also adding in the remaining bean. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add in pears and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer pears to a plate. Take vanilla bean out of liquid. Boil the poaching liquid over high heat until reduced to 1 cup and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Serve pears and syrup over Classic Shortbread cookies.