Poached Pears in Honey, Ginger, Pomerganate, and Cinnamon Syrup

I took this basic recipe from Giada De Laurentiis but made a few minor changes.  The poaching syrup was so good that I then made a follow-on cinnamon dish. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 Btl of Sweet Wine - I used  a Sangria (Bodega De San Antonio, Sangria Blanca)
• 2 - 4 Peeled pears, peeled & but with the stems left on (Small, firm, ripe Anjou or Bosc pears)
• 2 Cups of sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of honey
• 1 Piece of ginger (3/4")
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/3 pomegranate

Preparation

• Make a simple syrup with the 2 cups of sugar - 2 cups of water to 2 cups of sugar gently heated until the sugar dissolves
• In a sauce pan heat approx. 2 cups of wine with the other ingredients (cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, honey, and pomegranate seeds)
• Bring the solution to a simmer occasionally stirring to dissolve the honey
• Place the pears into the poaching solution and allow then to cook over low to medium heat until the pears become tender (approx 15 - 20 minutes)
• Remove the pears and allow them to cool
• Continue to reduce thepoaching solution over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the solution. NOTE: This will be used as a sauce over the pears when served and is the base that I used for a banana dessert, see next post
• Strain and remove the cinnamon stick, vanilla pod, and any pomerganate seeds

Serving

• Pour a small amount of the reduced syrup onto a plate
• Slice & remove the core of the pear,either in half or quarters and arrange on the plate
• Pour a small amount of syrup over the arrangement
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint leaves
• Optional - Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream next to the pears