Pear And Blue Stilton Toastie Food

ROASTED PEARS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.
• Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.
• In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.
• Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

STILTON CHEESE, PEAR AND TOASTED WALNUT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE CUCUMBER DILL TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• Put the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Strain the pears and puree in a food processor. Put the oil in an electric mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Add the pears, cheese and walnuts to the flour mixture and coat well. Gently fold in the egg and oil mixture by hand. Fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
• To assemble: Put the Cream Cheese Cucumber Dill Topping into a pastry bag and top each cupcake. Garnish with cucumber twists and dill.
• Puree the cucumber in a food processor. Beat the cream cheese in a mixer with the paddle attachment until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the cucumber, dill and salt. Put the topping in an airtight container and refrigerate 12 hours or up to overnight before serving.

STILTON, PEAR AND WALNUT TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Toast the walnuts, then finely chop.
• Remove the core from the pear and slice thinly. Set aside.
• In a bowl, combine the crumbled cheese and nuts.
• Add the butter, tarragon, shallot, optional salt and pepper to this mixture and mix well.
• Spread the seasoned butter onto 8 slices of bread.
• Lay thinly sliced pears on four of the bread slices.
• Cover with the remaining four slices of bread.
• Wrap each sandwich securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and mixture is set.
• Unwrap the sandwiches and trim the crusts.
• Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles or squares.
• Note: To add a little color to the sandwiches, you might like to sprinkle a bit of the herbs on top of each square or trangle.

ENDIVE SPEARS WITH STILTON CHEESE, TOASTED PECANS, AND SAUTEED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the butter and sugar. Add the diced pears and cook until well caramelized, approximately 8 minutes.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, fresh ground pepper and olive oil. Add the mixture to the Stilton. Assemble the spears 1 by 1, starting with the cheese then the sauteed pear and topping them off with a toasted pecan. These can be garnished with a sprig of watercress or other herb, if desired. Arrange the spears on a plate by first making a small mound of cream cheese and then sticking each spear into the cream cheese in a floral, 3-dimensional pattern.

ARUGULA, PEAR AND STILTON SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk oil, vinegar and shallot in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Combine arugula, pears and cheese in bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat.

PEAR & STILTON SALAD WITH PORT DRESSING & TOASTED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Toast walnuts in heavy saucepan on med heat.
• Set aside.
• Pour port into same pan nuts were toasted in.
• Boil on med high; simmer to reduce by half its volume.
• Remove from heat& allow to cool.
• Distribute 1 1/2 C greens on each of 4 plates.
• Arrange pear slices over.
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 T cheese on each.
• For dressing: Puree reduced port, shallots, garlic, mustard, vinegar to smooth in blender.
• Pour over salads.
• Top with nuts.

STILTON & CRANBERRY TOASTIE

Steps:

• Butter both slices of the bloomer. Make into a sandwich with the stilton, spring onion and cranberry jelly, keeping the butter on the outside of the bread. Fry in a non-stick griddle or frying pan for 3-4 mins on each side. Keep the heat gentle so the cheese melts slowly as the bread becomes golden and crunchy. Serve warm.