Recipe: Pears in pomegranate wine with honey and lemon thyme

Pears in pomegranate wine with honey and lemon thyme

Total time: 45 minutes, plus steeping time for the honey and cooling time for the pears

Servings: 6

Note: The honey should be steeped with the thyme 1 to 3 days in advance. This can be stored well-chilled in the refrigerator. Cane and turbinado sugar can be found at cooking and specialty stores, as well as well-stocked markets. Lemon thyme, a lemon-scented version of the thyme plant, is available at farmers’ markets and at specialty grocers. If none is available, substitute regular thyme and 2 to 3 slices of fresh lemon, or rosemary.

1/2 cup light-colored honey

12 pieces lemon thyme, each 1 to 1 1/2 inches long

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 large pears

2 to 2 1/2 cups pomegranate wine

6 allspice berries

3/4 cup cane or turbinado sugar

1. Up to 3 days before Rosh Hashana, mix together the honey, lemon thyme pieces and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Cut a slice off the bottom of each pear so it can stand.

3. Pour the wine into a wide-bottomed pot and add the allspice and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place the pears on their sides in the pot, cover and cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a toothpick. Turn them gently with a spoon several times during the cooking process. Let the pears cool in the cooking liquid, turning occasionally.

4. Remove the pears from the cooking liquid and bring the cooking liquids to a boil. Cook over medium heat until the liquid thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Pour the liquid over the pears, then cover and refrigerate until just before serving time, turning the pears occasionally.

5. Before serving, bring the pears to room temperature. Stand each pear in the middle of a plate, pour over about a tablespoon of the honey mixture, place 1 to 2 of the lemon thyme sprigs at the base or over the top and serve.

Each serving: 284 calories; 1 gram protein; 67 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 53 grams sugar; 5 mg. sodium.