Poached Pears with Sweet Wine and Fruit Confetti

Ingredients

• 6 small but anjou pears firm ripe peeled
• 1.5 teaspoons tapioca/arrowroot flour 
• 0.5 cup cantaloupe peeled seeded chopped
• 1  cinnamon sticks 
• 0.5 cup kiwi fruit peeled chopped
• 6 servings mint sprigs fresh
• 2 cups pear nectar 
• 0.5 cup strawberries hulled quartered
• 1  vanilla pod split
• 3.5 cups red wine from 1-liter bottle sweet (such as Moscato)

Equipment

• bowl
• pot
• melon baller

Directions

1. Using melon baller, remove core from bottom end of pears.
2. Combine wine, pear nectar and cinnamon stick in large pot. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer.
3. Add pears (liquid should cover pears halfway). Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until pears are tender, about 10 minutes, turning pears halfway through.
4. Transfer pears and cooking liquid to large bowl. Cool completely.
5. Drain poaching liquid back into pot.
6. Mix 2 tablespoons liquid with arrowroot in small bowl; return to pot. Boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature. (Pears and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
7. Spoon sauce into 6 shallow bowls.
8. Place pears atop sauce.
9. Sprinkle kiwi, cantaloupe and strawberries around pears.
10. Garnish with mint and serve.
11. Per serving: calories, 166; total fat, 0; saturated fat, 0; cholesterol,
12. Bon Appétit