Sauvignon Blanc-Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas

Name: Sauvignon Blanc-Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 pinch Pinch cayenne; 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 in. long); 355 milliliters granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar; 414 milliliters (from a 16-oz. pkg.) mascarpone; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 kilograms ripe pears, halved lengthwise and cored; 59 milliliters pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 750 milliliters bottle Sauvignon Blanc; 1 whole vanilla bean (not split)

For $2.85 per serving, this recipe covers 5% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Watching your figure? This gluten free and vegetarian recipe has 572 calories, 5g of protein, and 25g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 8. A mixture of cayenne, pumpkin seeds, sauvignon blanc, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 45 minutes.

Instructions

Put pears in a large saucepan or wide saut pan with the granulated sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, wine, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer gently, covered, until pears are tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Granulated Sugar

Cinnamon Stick

Vanilla Bean

Pear

Water

Wine

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Frying Pan

Spoon out pears and set aside, loosely covered with plastic. Boil poaching liquid over medium heat until thick and reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes (take care not to reduce the syrup too much). Chill until cool, at least 1 hour.

Ingredients you will need

Pear

Syrup

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add pepitas, brown sugar, and cayenne. Cook, stirring often, until seeds are toasted and brown sugar has softened, about 3 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Brown Sugar

Ground Cayenne Pepper

Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds

Mix 1/4 cup of the syrup with mascarpone. Arrange pears on a serving platter. Dollop mascarpone mixture on or beside pears, drizzle syrup over pears and mascarpone, and sprinkle with pepitas mixture.

Ingredients you will need

Mascarpone

Pumpkin Seeds

Pear

Syrup

Make ahead: Through step 3, 1 day ahead; chill pears airtight.

Ingredients you will need

Pear

Wine pairing: Ceja 2008 "Dulce Beso" Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. This sweet version of the wine the pears are poached in extends the flavor package. Like the pear dish, it has beautiful acidity to cut the sugar.

Ingredients you will need

Wine

Pear

Sugar