Pears In Honey And Pine Nut Caramel With Artisanal Cheese Recipes

PEARS IN HONEY AND PINE NUT CARAMEL WITH ARTISANAL CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook unsalted butter in large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat until beginning to brown. Add pear halves, cut side down, to skillet. Drizzle honey over pears and swirl pan slightly to blend butter and honey. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until pears are tender when pierced with paring knife, swirling skillet occasionally and adding a few tablespoons water to skillet if caramel sauce turns deep amber before pears are tender, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer pears, cut side up, to serving platter. Top pears with cheese. Return skillet with caramel sauce to medium-high heat; add pine nuts to skillet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Cook until sauce in skillet is brown and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over pears and serve.
• WHAT TO DRINK:
• Finish this meal on a sweet note with a late-harvest dessert wine. The honeyed pear and quince flavors of the 2006 "Le Vol des Anges" ($30) from California's Bonny Doon Vineyard are perfect with this dessert. Plus, the Roussanne grapes the wine is made from are produced using biodynamic practices.

HONEY-RICOTTA PEAR

Steps:

• Halve and core the pear, then cut into slices, leaving the stem-end intact and not cutting through to separate the slices. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cut side of the pear halves.
• Season the ricotta with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then place in 2 mounds on a plate. Top the ricotta mounds with the sliced pear halves, gently fanning out the slices. Drizzle the pears with honey and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

ROASTED PEARS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in a baking pan large enough to hold the pears in a single layer: set in the heating oven until it melts.
• Sprinkle sugar over melted butter, then place pears, cut side down, on top. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, turn pears over and baste with pan sauce. Return to oven; bake until golden and glossy, about 10 minutes longer.
• Let cool slightly. Transfer pears to dessert plates or bowls. Top each with dollop of sour cream, drizzle with caramel pan sauce, sprinkle with nuts and serve.

PEAR-TOPPED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, dulce de leche and cornstarch. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Arrange pears over top; sprinkle with ginger., Bake at 325° for 65-75 minutes or until center is just set and top of cheesecake appears dull. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

HERBED CHEESE WITH PEARS, PINE NUTS, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl; let the excess liquid drain, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
• In a food processor or medium bowl, mix together the goat cheese and drained ricotta until creamy and thoroughly combined. Stir in the thyme, parsley, and lemon zest; set aside.
• Slice each pear into 6 wedges. Divide the herbed cheese among 4 serving plates, spooning it into mounds. Arrange 3 pear wedges next to the cheese on each plate. Sprinkle with nuts; drizzle about 2 teaspoons honey over each portion of cheese and pears. Serve immediately.
• Fit to eat recipe
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 320
• Fat: 17g
• Cholesterol: 37mg
• Carbohydrate: 28g
• Sodium: 229mg
• Protein: 16g
• Fiber: 2g

HERBED CHEESE WITH PEARS, PINE NUTS, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl; let excess liquid drain, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until lightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
• In a food processor or medium bowl, mix together goat cheese and drained ricotta until creamy and thoroughly combined. Stir in thyme, parsley, and lemon zest; set aside.
• Slice each pear into six wedges. Divide herbed cheese among four serving plates, spooning it into mounds. Arrange three pear wedges next to cheese on each plate. Sprinkle with nuts; drizzle about 2 teaspoons honey over each portion of cheese and pears. Serve immediately.

PEAR HONEY

Steps:

• Place chopped pears into a large pot, and pour pineapple juice over them to prevent them from browning. Stir in sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. When the pears are at a full boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is the color and texture of honey. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets. Cooking time is usually 2 to 3 hours.
• Ladle into hot sterile jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, and seal jars with lids and rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, or the amount of time recommended by your local extension for your area.

PEAR & PINE NUT CONSERVE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add pears, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and rosemary; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in pine nuts. Return to a boil; cook and stir 5 minutes longer. , Carefully ladle hot mixture into 5 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

CARAMEL PEARS WITH ROSEMARY, HONEY AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Choose a baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold pears in one layer, or use 2 pans. Scatter star anise, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds and cloves on bottom of dish.
• Put pears in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, raisins, rum and lemon juice. Coat pears evenly with mixture. Transfer to baking dish, cut-side down, in one layer. Dot with butter.
• Bake, uncovered, until pears are soft and well caramelized, about 45 minutes. Remove pears from oven, and let them sit at room temperature. Shortly before serving, drizzle the pears with honey, and sprinkle them with rosemary leaves and chopped walnuts. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm with plenty of sauce from the baking pan.