Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce

6 pears, ripe, but firm
1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Sauce:
10-oz. package frozen raspberries
1 tbsp. kirsch
1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Peel the pears and core from the bottom, leaving the stem intact. With a small sharp knife or citrus stripper, pare just the yellow part of the lemon peel from the lemon and squeeze the juice from it. In a large heavy saucepan combine the lemon peel and juice with the sugar and water. Bring to a boil and add the vanilla bean. Add the pears and poach over gentle heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until just fork tender. Remove from the heat and allow the pears to cool to room temperature in the syrup.

Raspberry sauce: Purée the raspberries in the food processor, then press them through a sieve to remove the seeds. Stir together the sieved raspberry purée with the kirsch and powdered sugar and chill until ready to use.

To serve: Cut a thin slice from the bottom of the pears so they sit straight. Place on a dessert plate and spoon some of the sauce over the top so that it drips down the sides.

Serves 6