Blood Orange and Chardonnay Poached Pears

6 fresh pears
12 sheets aluminium foil (12” x 12” square)
1⁄2 cup 125 mL dark brown sugar
3 + 3 blood oranges or tangerines
1⁄2 cup, 125 mL Lindemans® Bin 65 Chardonnay
1 tbsp. 15 mL coarsely ground black pepper
6 small cinnamon sticks
1 bunch fresh mint
Vanilla Ice Cream
2 cups 500 mL assorted berries
(strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Chardonnay Caramel Sauce:
1 cup 250 mL Lindemans® Bin 65 Chardonnay
1 cup 250 mL brown sugar
1 cup 250 mL 35% cream
1⁄2 cup 125 mL sweetened condensed milk

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring Lindemans® Bin 65 Chardonnay to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the brown sugar, stirring gently, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the cream, increase heat to high and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool completely and whisk in the condensed milk. Set aside and keep warm until needed.

Chardonnay caramel sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for about 5 days.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat, leaving one side of the grill turned off. Squeeze juice of the three blood oranges (or tangerines) into a small bowl, mix with 1⁄2 cup Lindemans® Bin 65 Chardonnay and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut top and bottom off the three remaining blood oranges, cut each orange in half (you should have 6 orange wheels) and set aside. Peel pears and slice a small section off the bottom of each pear so that they sit upright. Set aside.

Place 2 sheets of foil (one on top of the other) on a flat surface. Place one blood orange wheel in the center of foil, top with 1 tbsp. of brown sugar, then stand a pear upright on top of the sugar. Drizzle the pear with about 1 tbsp. of the wine and orange juice mixture, then sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper. Draw the corners of the foil square up to the center, insert a small cinnamon stick into the bundle with the pear, and crimp foil tightly to form a bundle. Repeat for all remaining pears.

Place the bundles on the unheated side of grill, close the lid and grill roast for 30 to 45 minutes or until the pears are tender. Remove bundles from the grill, allow to rest for 1-2 minutes and open very carefully as there will be a lot of steam.

Remove pear from foil and place the ‘poached’ orange slice into the center of serving plate. To slice the pear, starting just below the stem, make 1⁄2” deep slits vertically down the pear, about 1⁄4” apart. Place pear back onto orange slice, drizzle with the Chardonnay caramel sauce and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Repeat with remaining pears. Serve with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.

Serves 6