Mclaren Vale Orchards produce the fruit, wine and pistachios featured in this divine yet ridiculously simple recipe. Red D’Anjou pears are ideal because they hold their texture and flavour really well throughout cooking. The grapes that make the cabernet sauvignon are pesticide free and and are grown lean so that the vines work harder to produce more skin which gives the wine its ballsy flavour, and the pistachios are harvested from some of the oldest trees in Australia. Try them, they are deliciously sweet. Serve the pears in their juice, scattered with the roughly chopped pistachios and a big dollop of Alexandrina Cheese Company’s pure jersey cream.
Pour the wine and water into a saucepan then bring to the boil. reduce the heat to medium then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the spices then simmer until the sauce reduces by 1/3.
Gently slide in the pears and cover with baking paper. Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, 30-40 minutes, depending on the pears. Remove from heat and let the pears cool in their liquid.