I poached peeled pears in red wine and decided
it would be a fine addition to a simple green salad.
Instead of serving these pears for dessert, plate
red wine infused pears on arugula for an ususual salad.

Ingredients:
For the Pears:
3 large winter pears, peeled, halved and cored, sliced lengthwise
2 cups red table wine or Cabernet
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
4 Szechuan peppercorns (optional, available Penzeys.com)
1 tbs. sugar

Ingredients:
For the Salad:
4 cups arugula
3 tbs. honey
1/4 cup total of sliced almonds, walnuts and pecans
3 oz. bleu cheese crumbles
2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Heat the wine, sugar, lemon juice and spices in a sauce pot.
Add the sliced pears, cover pot, leaving partially uncovered.
Simmer for 40 minutes. Let cool. Remove pears and spices.
Place pot back on heat and reduce to a thick syrup.
When pears are room temperature, slice and arrange on top of arugula. Drizzle on the red wine syrup and honey.
Sprinkle with bleu cheese and the nuts.