A Pair of PearsVanilla Poached Pear with Spiced Wine Compression and Sous Vide Crème Anglaise

*Tip: Crème Anglaise can be cooked in the same circulator bath temperature as the second stage of poached pear cooking.

For White Wine Syrup:

1. Combine dry spices in a large sauce pan over medium heat, toasting lightly until aromatic.
2. Add wine, ginger, vanilla, salt and sugar.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook slowly until reduced by slightly more than half.
4. Add cold water and set aside or chill until ready to poach pears.

For Red Wine Syrup:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until reduced by half.

For Poached Pears:

1. Peel pears, leaving stem attached.
2. Use melon baller to scoop out core and seeds from the bottom.
3. Combine pears and chilled white wine syrup (recipe above) in large sous vide bag and seal.
4. Cook in a water bath at 88°C (190°F) for 1 hour, and then lower temperature to 83°C (181°F) and cook for additional 2 hours.
5. Chill the pouch of pears in ice water and store refrigerated for up to one week.

For Crème Anglaise:

1. In a medium bowl with a whisk, beat egg yolks lightly.
2. Whisk in remaining ingredients until smooth and transfer to a large sous vide bag and vacuum chill.
3. Cook at 83°C(181°F) for 30 minutes, agitate vigorously halfway through, and again when finished cooking.
4. Cool in room temperature for 10 minutes, then transfer to chilled water bath for 10 minutes then another 10 minutes in iced water bath.
5. Strain through fine mesh before serving.

For Compressed Pears:

1. Peel pears and cut into small dice.
2. Place diced pear and chilled red wine syrup in a sous vide bag.
3. Use vacuum sealer to take the air out, as many times as needed, for red wine syrup to
   penetrate diced pear, giving a nice color and flavor.

To Serve:

Reheat poached pears in water bath at 63°C (145°f) for 30-45 minutes. Strain compressed pear, reserve syrup. When ready to serve, open bag of reheated pears and remove from syrup and clean off any spices that might have stuck. Split poached pears in half from stem to base. Ladle or pour 3 tbsp crème anglaise into bottom of serving bowl. Place 2 halves of each pear into bowl cut side up, slightly overlapping. Spoon compressed diced pear into hollowed center of poached pear. Spoon small amount of red wine syrup over pears. Garnish with mint.