Chicories With Pears And Goat Cheese Food

PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Cut the baguette into ½ inch - ¾ inch (1.5-2 cm) thick slices. Toast them using a toaster until they look to your liking. Don't burn them.
• Meanwhile: Prepare the cheese mixture by combining ricotta and goat cheese in a bowl (use a fork to mash it). Rinse and pat dry the pears. Cut them into quarters lengthwise. Remove the seeds and any hard parts. Slice each piece thinly and set aside (see note 4). Roughly chop the hazelnuts.
• When the toasts are ready, take one slice, spread some cheese mixture over, top with 2 pear slices, drizzle with honey and top with hazelnuts. Repeat until all the crostinis are ready.
• Best served right away! (see note 6)

GOAT'S CHEESE, PEAR & WALNUT TARTINES

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan. Cut the pears into quarters or eighths, brush with the oil and season. Cook for a few mins until charred on all sides, then drizzle with the honey.
• Meanwhile, toast the bread. Spread with the goat's cheese and top with the sticky pears, chives and walnuts. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and serve with some dressed salad leaves.

GRIDDLED PEARS WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HAZELNUT DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine the hazelnuts with the oil, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Slice each pear into six wedges.
• Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and griddle the pear wedges until slightly charred. Arrange three in a line on each plate. Tuck some watercress around the pears, then crumble over the goat's cheese. Dot over the hazelnut dressing.

ROASTED BABY PEARS WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese, herbs, and 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Halve the pears and scoop out the seeds and cores. Stuff each pear half with about a tablespoon of the cheese. Wrap each stuffed pear with a slice of bacon and place it on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the pears and season them with salt and pepper. Bake them until the pears are tender and the bacon is crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes. Place the pears onto a platter, drizzle with the honey, and garnish with the arugula.

CHICORIES WITH PEARS, BLUE CHEESE AND SECRET ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Use a sharp knife to shave off the dark green tips of the frisée and escarole, then use your hands to tear off any remaining tough outer leaves, saving only the pale green and white, tender hearts for the salad. (Reserve the outer leaves for cooking greens - they'd be great for Thanksgiving stuffing!) Trim the radicchio, tearing off any bruised leaves and cutting off any root or stem.
• Once trimmed, separate all of the chicories into individual leaves, trimming more as needed to detach inner leaves. Leave the smaller leaves of all of the varieties whole, but tear or cut the larger leaves into generous bite-size pieces. Wash in cold water and dry in a salad spinner, then place in a very large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Spread pecans out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast 7 to 10 minutes until lightly golden in the center. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• To make the dressing, use a pestle to pound the anchovy and garlic in a mortar with a pinch of salt until the mixture is as smooth as toothpaste (or chop finely, then use the blade of a knife to smear across the cutting board until smooth). Whisk in mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few cracks of pepper and shallot until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning: The dressing should be pleasantly bright and tangy, and the anchovy shouldn't be at all noticeable.
• To serve, quarter the pear, remove the core from each piece, and thinly slice. Add to the bowl of chicories. Crumble the pecans into the bowl in large pieces. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad. Use your hands to toss gently to ensure the leaves are all coated evenly. Taste and add more dressing as needed. Transfer salad to a serving platter if desired, then crumble pecan-size pieces of cheese all throughout the salad, tossing as needed to distribute. Season generously with pepper and a bit of flaky salt. Serve immediately.

PEAR, CHICORY & BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Discard the outer leaves from the chicory and slice in half lengthways. Cut out the base root, then slice into long, thin slivers and rinse. Pat dry and put in a bowl. Cut each pear quarter into 3 and toss with a little lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Add to the bowl with the parsley and walnut halves.
• Make a dressing by mixing the walnut oil with the remaining lemon juice and seasoning, then add to the bowl. Toss everything together, then plate up, crumbling over the cheese. Serve immediately.