Tea Poached Asian Pears

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar

2 cups dry white wine

1 1⁄2 inches piece fresh ginger, cut in half crosswise

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon allspice berry

2 tablespoons black tea leaves, loose

4 slices orange zest, about 4 inches long

4 large Asian pears, peeled and halved

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a large oven-safe saucepan, bring sugar and 3 cups water to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add wine, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, tea leaves, and orange zest; bring to a boil again. Add pears, remove from heat, and cover; transfer to oven.

Bake pears 1 1/2 hours, turning every half hour until tender but still crisp.

Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle. Serve warm in cooking liquid.

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