Herbed Cheese With Pears Pine Nuts And Honey Food

BLUE CHEESE AND CANDIED NUT PEAR BITE

Steps:

• Cut the pear into 1/2-inch-thick slices and top with the blue cheese, candied nuts and a drizzle of honey.

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.

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.

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.

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

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• GARNISH: halved cherry tomatoes, parsley sprigs, sweet red pepper strips, steamed asparagus spears, or sauteed mushroom caps dusted with paprika.
• Boil a large pot of warer; cook pasta until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, in a small skillet, melt margarine.
• Add pine nuts and onion, stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until pine nuts are lightly browned and onion is softened.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat cheese with remaining ingredients.
• Stir in pine nuts and onion.
• When pasta is done, drain well; toss with sauce.
• Top with freshly ground pepper and garnishes.
• VARIATIONS: - substitute raw cashews for pine nuts