Dessert recipe: Pear and dried cranberry crisp

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oats (rolled or steel-cut but not instant or quick-cooking)

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the pan, at room temperature

6 to 8 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered

1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Port syrup (see recipe below)

HOW TO:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Work the butter into the oats with your hands to form a coarse mixture, or pulse in a food processor until combined.

2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place pears and cranberries in the bottom and sprinkle with the oat mixture. Bake until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream and drizzle with Port syrup. Makes 8 servings.

For port syrup:

1 cup ruby Port

1 cup red wine vinegar

Combine Port and vinegar in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/4 cup syrup, about an hour. Makes 1/4 cup.