Name: Red Wine Poached Pears with Mascarpone, Pistachios and Granita
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Pears and Granita; 3-3/4 cups (one 750-ml bottle) Cabernet Sauvignon or other full-body wine; 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice; 1 tbsp grated orange zest; 1-1/2 tsp grated lemon zest; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 firm Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, and cored (Bosc or Anjou work nicely too); Mascarpone Filling; 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese; 1 tbsp powdered sugar, or to taste; Assembly; 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp coarsely chopped, toasted pistachio nuts; Fresh mint leaves for garnish; Granita