Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
8 medium firm Bartlett pears peeled, cored and diced
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup sliced green onion
2 medium garlic cloves. minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon liquid honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup green onions, sliced (garnish)
1 cup toasted croutons (garnish)

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then add the diced pears, chopped onions, sliced green onions, minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Next add flour, curry powder and ground cumin and sauté until the pears become soft, about 5 minutes. Next stir in chicken broth and dry white wine and reduce the heat and simmer until the soup is slightly thickened (about 20-25 minutes). Next add cream, honey and sesame oil and cook for about a minute. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasoning as desired with salt and pepper. Transfer small batches to a blender or a food processor and puree until smooth.

To Serve:
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons and sliced green onion.

Ingredients:
6 semi-firm Fresh Bartlett Pears
2 cups dry red raspberry wine*
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
1 cinnamon stick**
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup toasted pecan nuts
1/4 tsp cornstarch

Preparation:
Peel, halve and core pears and set into a large bowl with the lemon/water mixture (to keep pears from changing color) and set aside. Combine wine & sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat - stir for 5 minutes until sugar is fully dissolved. Add cinnamon, cloves and butter and continue to stir until butter fully melted. Add pears (cored side up) and cover with lid, turn down heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove pears and set aside. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Add pecans and turn up heat to medium and keep stirring for 10 minutes or until sauce has reduced in half. Sprinkle in cornstarch and thoroughly mix in until sauce thickens.

To plate:
Place two poached pear halves onto small dish on a slight bias, then generously spoon the pecan blackberry sauce over top. Garnish with fresh mint.

*similar tart red fruit wines may be substituted
**or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon