Poached Pears with Star Anise and Ginger Crème Anglaise

This is a recipe I worked on with Jean-Georges Vongerichten (which is why it sounds so elegant). But really, this is a simple dish: pears simmered in sugar syrup that’s infused with the kind of warm, cozy spices that seem to belong in Thanksgiving food. The crème anglaise is a nice and suitably impressive touch, though if you want to take the path of le…