Orange and Honey Poached Pears

Using a citrus zester or fine grater, remove the bright outer zest from all three oranges in long, fragrant ribbons. Set the zest aside. Juice all three oranges and the lemon — you need about 1 1/2 cups of combined citrus juice.

Pour the citrus juice into a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan or tagine-style pot. Stir in the honey, add the cinnamon stick and vanilla extract, then drop in the reserved orange zest ribbons.

Place the pot over medium-low heat and gently stir until the honey dissolves fully into the juice, about 2 minutes. The liquid should smell fragrant and warm — do not boil.

Peel the pears carefully, leaving the stems intact. Nestle them upright into the simmering liquid, adding just enough water if needed to submerge them three-quarters up. The liquid should hover at a gentle simmer — tiny bubbles around the edges, never a rolling boil.

Poach for 20–25 minutes, turning the pears once halfway through, until they yield easily when pierced with the tip of a small knife but still hold their elegant shape. The poaching liquid will deepen to a rich amber.

Remove the pears and set aside. Raise the heat to medium and let the poaching liquid reduce to a glossy, honey-thick syrup, about 8–10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and most of the zest, reserving a few ribbons for garnish.

While the syrup reduces, toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop.

Place each pear in a shallow bowl, spoon the warm honey-orange syrup generously over the top, and scatter the toasted almonds alongside. Drape a ribbon of reserved zest across the plate.