Poached Pears and Figs in Primitivo with Cassis Cream

Ingredients:
Serves 6

6 firm pears (William or similar)
2 bottles of Primitivo. (Red wine from Puglia Italy) You will have some leftover but that can be considered the chef’s perk!
225gm sugar
420ml water
1 vanilla bean/ vanilla essence
½ lemon
1 pound dried black figs
3 tbls Honey
250ml of double or whipping cream
2 tbls of cassis
6 leaves of mint

Method :

1. Peel the pears leaving the stems on and rub with 1/2 lemon.
2. Pour a bottle of Primitivo, 225gm sugar, 420ml water, and the vanilla into a heavy based saucepan and bring to a fast simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add the pears, and reduce the heat to a slow simmer and poach the pears until they take on a translucent appearance and feel slightly soft but are still firm. Keeping the pears in the pot remove from heat and leave in the liquid to cool.  They will be soft but still have certain firmness.
4. In a saucepan bring 500ml of Primitivo with 3 tablespoons honey to a fast simmer and add the figs and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Simmer the figs until they are plump and soft, which will take about 1 hour. When ready let the figs cool in the poaching liquor.
5. Remove the figs and put them aside and reduce the liquid until it is slightly thickened.
6. Whip the cream to soft peaks and add the cassis.
7. To serve the dessert place a pear on each plate with the figs arranged around the base.  Pour the reduced poaching liquid from the figs over the pears and spoon over the cream.  At the top of each pear decorate with a mint leaf.