These pears, poached in ginger wine, are accompanied by delicate, crunchy almond wafers (see recipe on my website).

Ingredients

• 2 large oranges
• 1½ cups ginger wine
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ cups water
• 6 firm ripe pears

Method

1. Use a potato peeler to finely peel the rind off one of the oranges, squeeze out the juice. Combine ½ cup orange juice, ginger wine, sugar and water and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange rind.
2. Leaving the stalks in place peel the pears and add to the ginger syrup, simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the pears are tender.
3. Gently remove from the syrup with a slotted spoon. Boil the syrup until reduced by half and strain over the pears.
4. Serve warm or chilled with creme fraiche and almond wafers.