Stoofpeertjes

Another typical Dutch dish. Pears stewed in red wine/port. I think most Dutch people eat these during Christmas dinner as a side dish, but honestly, I couldn't wait for that. Christmas is a good excuse for food, but definitely not the only day of the year to eat this. It takes some time but is delicious. With a food piece of meat or as a desert with cinnamon ice-cream. (Keep in mind that you can't use regular pears, you need the small, hard variety).

Ingredients:

• +/- 8 pears (Giese Wildeman) • 500 ml water • 500 ml red wine or port • 3 cinnamon sticks • 1 star anise • 3 cloves • 50 gram sugar (use pink pear sugar is available, this doesn't add flavour, only colour) • cornstarch slush •

1. Start with peeling your pears. You can leave them whole, or cut them into 4 pieces and remove the core.

2. Put the water, port (or wine) in a large pan with the cinnamon, star anise, cloves and sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the liquid and add the pears. The pears should be almost or completely covered.

3. Bring the whole thing to a boil. As soon as the liquid boils, lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. 3 will be enough is you cut the pear into quarters. Whole pears will need 4 hours.

4. When the pears are cooked and nice and dark red, take some (or all) of the liquid out and thicken on a medium heat with the cornstarch slush.

Serve as a side dish with your Sunday roast, or over ice as a desert.

I made a double batch and put half of them in a sterile jar when they were still hot and without the cornstarch slush. This way you can safe them for a really long time. Perfect to do in advance before you need them for your Christmas dinner, or just... Because you want to eat them whenever you like!

I paired them with oven roasted potatoes, chicory and bacon.

Enjoy!