Description
Delightfully sweet and savory, Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears combine the juicy sweetness of baked Bosc pears with tangy blue cheese, crunchy walnuts, fresh thyme, and a drizzle of spicy honey for a sophisticated appetizer or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 large Bosc pears
- 2 1/2 oz Danish blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from the stem
Seasonings and Garnishes
- 1–2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper, for garnish
- 1–2 tbsps honey
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven temperature to 400℉ to prepare for baking the pears.
- Prepare the pears: Slice the pears in half lengthwise, carefully remove the core and seeds, then place them cut side down in a cast iron skillet or baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the pears and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake pears initially: Transfer the skillet or dish to the oven and bake the pears cut side down for 15 minutes to soften them slightly.
- Stuff the pears: Remove the pears from the oven, turn them cut side up, and stuff each half with crumbled blue cheese, chopped walnuts, and fresh thyme leaves.
- Bake again: Return the stuffed pears to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the blue cheese begins to melt.
- Prepare honey drizzle: In a small bowl, mix the honey with Aleppo pepper to create a spicy-sweet drizzle.
- Serve: Once baked, transfer the pears to a serving platter or individual plates, drizzle with the honey-Aleppo mixture, garnish with extra thyme if desired, and enjoy.
Notes
- Use Bosc pears for their firm texture which holds up well to baking.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce the amount of Aleppo pepper in the honey drizzle.
- Walnuts can be toasted lightly before chopping for extra flavor.
- Serve warm for the best contrast of melted cheese and sweet pears.
- Substitute blue cheese with Gorgonzola for a milder taste if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 pear
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
