Ingredients

• 100g/4oz plump raisins
• 6 large prunes, stoned
• 1 lemon
• 3 oranges
• 6 firm but ripe pears, with their stems, peeled
• 600ml/1 pint full-bodied red wine
• 175g/6oz sugar
• 4 tsp black peppercorns
• pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• about 1 tbsp fresh root ginger, finely chopped
• 1/4 clove
• 2 bay leaves

Method

1. Place the raisins and prunes in a bowl, pour over boiling water and leave for 1–2 hours. Using a potato peeler, pare two large strips of rind from the lemon and one of the oranges, then squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange. Finely grate the rind from one of the remaining oranges, then peel and thinly slice them both; reserve the grated rind and orange slices.
2. Peel the pears and place them stem up in a pan into which they just fit. Add the wine, sugar, spices, bay leaves, strips of orange and lemon rind and the lemon and orange juices. Bring to the boil, cover using a dome of foil if necessary to avoid crushing the pear stems, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the prunes and raisins, add to the pan and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Add the reserved orange slices, turn off the heat and leave the fruit to cool in the poaching liquid.
4. Transfer the prunes and raisins to a glass or china serving bowl and place the pears, stems up, on top. Arrange the orange slices around the edge.
5. Boil the poaching liquid over a high heat until slightly syrupy. Add the reserved grated orange rind and the ginger. Taste and add more ginger if needed. Discard peppercorns, clove, cinnamon and citrus rind. Leave syrup until lukewarm then pour, with bay leaves, over fruit. When cold, serve with Madeleines.

Notes