- 4 1/2 cups dry red wine (about 1 1/2 750-ml bottles)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 18 whole black peppercorns
- 2 6×1-inch strips orange peel (orange part only)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 firm but ripe Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
- 6 1/2-inch-thick pound cake slices, lightly toasted
- Vanilla ice cream
- Stir wine, sugar, peppercorns, orange peel and bay leaf in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; cover and boil 5 minutes. Add pears. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until pears are tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Chill until cold, about 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
- Remove pears from liquid. Strain liquid into heavy small saucepan. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and orange juice in small bowl to blend. Add to saucepan and whisk until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove sauce from heat and cool slightly.
- Cut pound cake slices diagonally in half. Thinly slice pears lengthwise. Arrange 2 pound cake triangles and 1 sliced pear half on each of 6 plates. Top each with ice cream; drizzle with sauce.