Description
Delight in these elegant Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears, a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors. Baked to tender perfection and topped with tangy Danish blue cheese, crunchy walnuts, fresh thyme, and a drizzle of honey mixed with Aleppo pepper, this appetizer offers a sophisticated taste experience ideal for entertaining or a gourmet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Pears
- 3 large Bosc pears
- 1–2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Filling
- 2 1/2 ounces Danish blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from the stem
Topping
- 1–2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- Extra thyme leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 400°F to prepare for roasting the pears evenly.
- Prepare the pears. Slice the pears in half lengthwise and carefully remove the core and seeds. Place them cut side down in a cast iron skillet or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the pears. Transfer the skillet or baking dish to the oven and roast the pears cut side down for 15 minutes to allow caramelization.
- Stuff the pears. Remove the pears from the oven, turn them cut side up, and evenly distribute the crumbled blue cheese, chopped walnuts, and fresh thyme leaves on each half.
- Bake to melt the cheese. Return the stuffed pears to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese softens and slightly melts.
- Prepare the honey drizzle. While the pears finish baking, mix honey with Aleppo pepper in a small bowl to create a sweet and mildly spicy topping.
- Serve. Transfer the pears onto a serving platter or individual plates, drizzle with the honey-Aleppo mixture, and garnish with extra thyme leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Bosc pears are ideal for baking due to their firm texture; Bartlett pears can be used but will be softer.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce the Aleppo pepper or omit it from the honey drizzle.
- Walnuts can be substituted with pecans or toasted almonds for a different nutty flavor.
- For a vegetarian diet, ensure the blue cheese is made with vegetarian-friendly cultures.
- Serving these pears warm enhances the flavor contrast between sweet and savory.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pear half
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
