Cinnamon-Merlot Roasted Pears

Ingredients

• 6 large ripe bosc pears
• 1 cup merlot
• 1 cup cherry juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear and insert an apple corer; twist and pull to remove cores.

2. 2

   Combine Merlot, cherry juice, and cinnamon sticks in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Add pears. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until pears are tender, spooning liquid over pears every 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Reduce oven temperature to 200°F Remove pears from baking dish. Pour liquid into a saucepan; stir in sugar and salt.

4. 4

   Gently boil liquid for 10-12 minutes or until reduced to a syrup. Return pears to baking dish and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

5. 5

   To serve 12, cut each pear in half; to serve 24, cut each pear into quarters. Drizzle syrup over pears; dollop with mascarpone cheese.