Poached Pears

Choose a cooking pot that will hold the pears snugly. Place red wine, water, and sugar in the pot. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot; add the pods along with the star anise, honey, and lemon juice.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Add the peeled pears, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes until pears are tender. Remove the pears and continue simmering the liquid until it becomes thick and syrupy. Use this syrup to glaze the pears before serving.