4 ripe pears
2 cups water
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Peel pears and leave stems. Cut small slice off the bottom and scoop out the seeds.
Combine water, red wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, vanilla bean, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to simmer and stir on medium heat.
Add pears into simmering liquid. Add more water if needed to submerge them. Cover the saucepan and cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove when tender.
Set pears aside to cool. Simmer the poaching liquid to make it thicker. Drizzle the pears with reduced liquid and serve.