Serves 8

1 750-ml bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Savignon
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup orange juice from 2 large oranges
Juice from half a lemon
6 strips orange peel
6 cardamom pods
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
8 firm but ripe pears, such as Bosc, peeled

Combine first nine ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Slice a 1/4 inch off bottom of each pear. Using a melon baller, scoop out core from the bottom. Add pears and to syrup. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 30 minutes. Transfer pears to plate. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Drizzle syrup around pears and serve warm.

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