Jim Cook of Halawa Heights doesn’t claim to be a cook. Yet friends constantly request his pear dessert. He has been making it for about 10 years, after happening upon a recipe for French poached pears in red wine reduction sauce.

A whole bottle of wine is used to poach two pears. His wine sauce is flavorful with sugar, lemon, and spices like cinnamon, pepper, cloves and real vanilla bean. And it uses a whole bottle of inexpensive, everyday wine. The slow simmering causes the alcohol to evaporate. This dessert will be enjoyed to the last drop of beautiful sauce. It’s not difficult to make. Cook just warns not to boil the pears as you want them to stay firm and not be mushy. Maybe even try this with apples? Your friends will say “Merci.”

French Poached Pears

Ingredients:

• 2 firm Bartlett pears

• 1 (750-ml) bottle cabernet sauvignon wine

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 2-inch strip lemon peel, white pith removed

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1-2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

• 1 cinnamon stick, crushed

• 5 black peppercorns

• 5 cloves

• 1 pint vanilla bean ice cream

Directions:

Peel and core pears. Slice in half lengthwise. Place in a sauce pan so all four are on one level. Add wine, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, vanilla bean, cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves. Heat on low until pears are cooked, about 30-45 minutes, turning over every 5 minutes so pears are a uniform color. Remove pears and set aside.

Pour liquid through a strainer to remove all spices. Return liquid and vanilla bean to pan. Cook under low heat until sauce is reduced, about 10 minutes. Place one pear half in a bowl, cover with sauce and top with ice cream. Best served when pear is at room temperature, not cold.

Makes 4 servings.

Lynette Lo Tom is the author of cookbooks A Chinese Kitchen and Back in the Day. She wants to hear about your cooking shortcuts. Reach her at lynette@ brightlightcookery.com or @brightlightcookery on Instagram.