Poached pears with creamed gorgonzola and a port reduction
Pears and blue cheese are a natural combination, as is port
and cheese and not to mention port and pears. So I thought to myself, why not to try put them
all together in a dessert and cheese combination. I tried this recipe recently on some friends at a dinner party and thankfully it got rave reviews. There was initial uncertainty on the creamed blue cheese, but paired with everything else it worked well providing an interesting sharp contrast to the sweetness of the sauce and pears.
2 pears peeled and left whole
200g sugar
1l water
150ml port
150g gorgonzola dolce
100g double cream whipped
To poach the pears
Place the sugar and water in a sauce pan on a medium heat and allow the sugar
to dissolve
Add the pears and cook for about 20 – 30 minutes until
slightly soft
You want a soft texture but not too soft, test the pears continuously during the cooking using a knife, it should pierce easily when ready
You want a soft texture but not too soft, test the pears continuously during the cooking using a knife, it should pierce easily when ready
Remove the pears and place on a plate to cool
To make the port
reduction
Place the port in a pan
and add 100ml of the poaching water from the pears
Bring to the boil and allow the mixture to reduce to a third of its original volume, the mixture should be relatively thick
Bring to the boil and allow the mixture to reduce to a third of its original volume, the mixture should be relatively thick
For the gorgonzola cream
Soften the cheese by beating it with a wooden spoon or using a mixer
Add the softened cheese to the whipped cream and mix well
Add the softened cheese to the whipped cream and mix well
To serve
Allow half a pear per person, make sure to remove the core from the middle of the pear
Serve with a dessertspoon of the creamed cheese and drizzle over the port reduction
Serve with a dessertspoon of the creamed cheese and drizzle over the port reduction
2 comments
Great additionele the port! I wonder if it would be psdible to ma riante the pears and grill them afterwards? Guess it might do well with some smoke taste too. That's my kind of dessert :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure how the port marinade would work with a smoky flavour. Worth a try, but you have to remember the blue cheese has a slightly bitter taste which may work against a chargrill flavour.
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