Caribou-Poached Pears and Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 4  anjou pears firm cored peeled
• 4 sticks cinnamon divided (1-inch)
• 2 large egg yolks 
• 0.3 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 4  juniper berries 
• 1  nutmeg whole
• 3 tablespoons pistachios chopped
• 1.3 cups red wine fruity
• 0.3 cup rum white
• 3  star anise 
• 0.5 cup sugar divided
• 1.3 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• kitchen towels

Directions

1. Combine wine, juniper berries, anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes; remove from heat.
2. Let stand for 30 minutes. Strain mixture over a bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids. Stir in 1/3 cup white rum.
3. Combine rum mixture and 1/4 cup sugar in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
4. Place pears in pan; cook 1 hour or until pears are tender, turning occasionally.
5. Remove pears; cool. Bring cooking liquid to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until mixture reduces to 1/4 cup.
6. Combine milk, whipping cream, and remaining 2 cinnamon sticks in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil.
7. Remove from heat; discard cinnamon sticks.
8. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Return mixture to pan; cook over low heat until mixture reaches 160, stirring constantly.
9. Place pan in an ice-filled bowl; cool completely.
10. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Carefully drain liquid from bucket; repack bucket with ice and salt. Cover with kitchen towels; ripen at least for 1 hour.
11. Cut pears in half lengthwise. Slice each pear half, lengthwise, cutting to but not through stem end. Fan one pear half on each of 8 small plates, and drizzle pear halves evenly with reduced syrup.
12. Serve with 1/4 cup ice cream.
13. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon pistachios over each serving.