Roasted Pears w/Dried Apricots and Toasted Pistachios

This CI recipe may be one of the most surprisingly delicious desserts I've ever eaten.  If I were to open up a restaurant tomorrow, I would put this as my number 1 dessert.  It's that good.  The roasted pears are sweet and meltingly tender.  The dried apricots are chewy, sweet, sour, and almost meaty.  The crunchy, salty, savory pistachios give a wonderful contrasting bite.  And the whole thing is covered with a sweet syrup which just brings everything together.  This is one of those dinner party, impress all of your guests type of desserts.


ingredients:
for 4 people

1.  2 1/2 TBL unsalted butter
2.  4 ripe but firm (yields slightly when pressed) Bosc pears (6 to 7 ounces each), peeled, cored, and quartered
note: - Bosc, Comice, or Bartlett pears may be used.  Choose whichever type that is ripe but still firm.
3.  1 1/4 cups dry white wine
4.  1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
5.  1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) sugar
6.  1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 4 cardamon pods)
7.  1/8 teaspoon salt
8.  1 teaspoon lemon juice
9.  1/3 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped


recipe:
1.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in ovensafe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3.  Place pear quarters into skillet. Cook, without moving them, until pears are just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
4.  Flip pears and lightly brown second side for 3 to 5 minutes.
5.  Transfer skillet to oven and roast pears for 10 minutes. Using tongs, flip pears, rotate inner pears to the outside, and continue to roast until fork easily pierces fruit, 10 minutes longer (skillet handle will be hot).
6.  Using tongs, transfer pears to platter. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add wine, apricots, sugar, cardamom, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
7.  Bring to vigorous simmer, whisking to scrape up any browned bits.  Cook until sauce is reduced and has consistency of maple syrup, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove pan from heat, take out cardamon pods if used, and stir in lemon juice.
8.  Pour sauce over pears, sprinkle with pistachios, and serve.