Cyprus Wine-Poached Pears with Commandaria, Honey, and Walnuts

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Commandaria is one of the world's oldest named wines, produced on Cyprus for nearly 3,000 years from sun-dried Mavro and Xynisteri grapes. In this classic Mediterranean dessert, ripe pears are gently simmered in a spiced syrup of Commandaria, thyme honey, and warm aromatics, then finished with toasted walnuts and a dollop of thick Greek yogurt.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 310 kcalCalories
• 10 gFat
• 1.5 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 38 gSugar
• 4 gProtein
• 25 mgSodium
• 230 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 1 mgIron
• 8 mgVitamin C
• 25 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pears and syrup

• 4 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled with stems intact
• 1 1/2 cups Commandaria wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup Cypriot thyme honey (or other mild honey)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 strip lemon peel (pith removed)
• 1 star anise

For serving

• 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 cup thick Greek sheep's yogurt or fresh mizithra
• Freshly ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems attached. Slice a thin disc off the base of each pear so they stand upright without wobbling.
2. In a wide heavy saucepan, combine the Commandaria, water, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon peel, and star anise. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the honey.
3. Stand the pears upright in the pan. The liquid should reach about three-quarters of the way up the pears; add a splash more wine or water if needed. Cover and reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer gently for 18 to 22 minutes, turning the pears every 5 minutes so they color evenly, until a paring knife slides easily into the center of each pear. Do not boil, or the pears will collapse.
5. Carefully lift the pears out with a slotted spoon and set them in a serving bowl. Discard the lemon peel, cloves, and star anise. Raise the heat and reduce the poaching liquid by about half, until it is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes.
6. Stir the toasted walnuts into the reduced syrup just off the heat so they absorb the flavor.
7. Spoon each pear into a shallow bowl, pour the warm spiced syrup and walnuts over the top, and add a generous spoonful of cold Greek yogurt alongside. Dust with a pinch of fresh cinnamon.
8. Serve warm, or chill and bring back to room temperature before serving later the same day.

Cook’s Notes

• Choose pears that yield slightly at the neck but are still firm near the stem; overripe pears will turn to mush during poaching.
• Taste your Commandaria first, since sweetness varies by producer; older or richer bottles may need less added honey.
• For the most authentic finish, use thick sheep's milk yogurt or fresh mizithra, whose tangy saltiness balances the syrup beautifully.
• The reduced wine syrup keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week, so it doubles as a pour-over for pancakes, ice cream, or roasted figs.
• A light splash of fresh lemon juice stirred in at the end brightens the deep, raisiny flavors of the Commandaria.

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