Pears Poached in Red Wine, Cardamom and Orange

• 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
• 2 1/4 cups sugarsugar
• 2 cups waterwater
• 1/2 cup orange juiceorange-juice
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peelorange
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stickcinnamon
• 4 firm but ripe pears, peeled, stems left intactpear
• 1 pint vanilla ice creamcream
• 1 plain or almond biscotti, crumbled
• Orange peel strips (optional)orange

1. 01Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Add pears and return mixture to simmer. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer pears to plate. Boil liquid in saucepan until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill pears in poaching liquid. Before serving, rewarm over medium-low heat until pears are heated through.)
2. 02Arrange 1 warm pear and 1 scoop of ice cream on each of 4 plates. Drizzle some poaching liquid over. Sprinkle with biscotti crumbs. Garnish with orange peel strips, if desired, and serve.

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