Baked Pear Fans

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. To make pear fans: make 1/4-inch lengthwise slices along length of each half-pear, starting 1/3-inch from the stem end and cutting all the way down toward the rounded end.
2. Place butter in a 9-inch-square baking pan and heat in the oven. Add in lemon juice, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp. water to butter, mix well. Place pears in the pan, rounded sides up. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake till pears are fork tender, about forty min; turn once halfway through baking time.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer pear halves onto serving plates and carefully fan them out. Stir vanilla into sauce in pan. Place pan on stovetop and cook 1 minute to reduce slightly. Spoon sauce over pears. Serve hot or possibly at room temperature.
4. This recipe yields 4 servings.
5. Comments: When you first put the pears in the baking pan do not try to fan them out. After they cook and soften you'll be able to fan them out easily, without breaking them.
6. Description: "Beautiful, easy and elegant, this fruit dessert is festive sufficient to end a company meal - especially if you top the pear fan with a dollop of whipped, lightly sweetened mascarpone cheese."