Pear And Blue Stilton Toastie Recipes

ROASTED PEARS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.
• Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.
• In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.
• Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

ENDIVE SPEARS WITH STILTON CHEESE, TOASTED PECANS, AND SAUTEED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the butter and sugar. Add the diced pears and cook until well caramelized, approximately 8 minutes.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, fresh ground pepper and olive oil. Add the mixture to the Stilton. Assemble the spears 1 by 1, starting with the cheese then the sauteed pear and topping them off with a toasted pecan. These can be garnished with a sprig of watercress or other herb, if desired. Arrange the spears on a plate by first making a small mound of cream cheese and then sticking each spear into the cream cheese in a floral, 3-dimensional pattern.

STILTON, PEAR AND WALNUT TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Toast the walnuts, then finely chop.
• Remove the core from the pear and slice thinly. Set aside.
• In a bowl, combine the crumbled cheese and nuts.
• Add the butter, tarragon, shallot, optional salt and pepper to this mixture and mix well.
• Spread the seasoned butter onto 8 slices of bread.
• Lay thinly sliced pears on four of the bread slices.
• Cover with the remaining four slices of bread.
• Wrap each sandwich securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and mixture is set.
• Unwrap the sandwiches and trim the crusts.
• Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles or squares.
• Note: To add a little color to the sandwiches, you might like to sprinkle a bit of the herbs on top of each square or trangle.

PEAR, STILTON, AND PROSCIUTTO BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Toss them with the lemon juice in a medium bowl, then lightly brush all sides of each piece with oil.
• Brush one side of each baguette slice with oil.
• Grill the pears on medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and cut each quarter into about eight slices.
• Grill the baguette slices and the prosciutto over direct medium heat with the lid open about 1 to 2 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted on one side and the prosciutto is crisp. Remove from the grill and chop the prosciutto.
• Combine the cheeses in a small bowl, spread about 1 tablespoon of the mixture on the grilled side of each baguette slice. Place about 3 slices of pear on top of the cheese and top with some chopped grilled prosciutto, then drizzle with a small amount of honey.