Luscious Pears In Raspberry Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 firm bosc pears or 3 bartlett pears
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup raspberry jam (homemade or the best quality store bought) or 1/4 cup raspberry jelly (homemade or the best quality store bought)
2 tablespoons mirin (can substitute white wine or fruit liquer-optional)
1 1 pinch nutmeg or 1 pinch cardamom
1 inch piece vanilla pod, slit down the side (my addition)
1 pinch salt
Garnish
of fresh mint

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, remove seeds, peel and core. Place the pears cut side down in an oven-proof baking dish.
Combine the juice, jam, mirin (or substitute), cinnamom, nutmeg or cardamom, vanilla pod piece and salt.
Pour this mixture over the pears; cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake pears until soft, about 25 minutes.
Remover the vanilla pod and arrange the pears cut side up on a serving platter. Spoon remaining sauce from the baking dish over the pears. Garnish with mint leaves or verbena leaves if desired.