Pear appetizer in bacon

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grappa (Italian grape vodka)
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• Zest of half an orange
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 8 carnation buds
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 trout pears, peeled, halved and cored
• 1.5 cups arugula
• 12 thin slices Speck ham (smoked Tyrolean ham)

Preparation:

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the grappa, sugar, orange zest, salt, red pepper flakes, cloves, peppercorns, rosemary, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar; cook for 5 minutes. Carefully place the pear halves, cut-side down, in the liquid. Cover with parchment paper, placing it directly on the liquid, and poach over low heat for 10–12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pears cool in the liquid for 5 minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
2. Cut each pear half into 4 wedges. Gather a few sprigs of arugula, press them into a pear wedge, and place them on one end of a piece of ham. Roll tightly and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining pears, arugula, and ham.