Pears With Roquefort And Sauternes Syrup Food

POACHED PEARS IN SAUTERNES

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife, score a zigzag pattern in the skin around the top of each pear, working downwards from the stalk.
• Leaving the zigzag skin at the top in place, peel the rest of each pear very thinly so as to preserve their shape.
• Remove the core from the base, using a corer or a small melon baller.
• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan big enough to hold everything, including the pears.
• Set over a medium heat until the liquid comes to the boil, then reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering.
• The cooking time will vary according to the ripeness of the pears.
• Very ripe pears will only take 5 minutes; much less ripe fruit will need up to 15 minutes.
• As soon as they are ready, turn off the heat.
• Transfer the pears with their poaching syrup to a bowl and leave at room temperature until needed.
• Serve one or two pears on each plate with a little orange zest and some syrup.

PEARS WITH ROQUEFORT AND SAUTERNES SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast the walnuts in the preheated oven, 5-10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
• Remove stems from pears. Slice in half and remove core and any fibers with a melon baller. Rub pears all over with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place each pear (2 halves) in an individual gratin dish.
• Combine the cheese and walnuts. Pack this mixture into the cavity in each pear half. Add 1-2 tbsp Sauternes to each dish. Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and pears are soft.
• Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine 1/2 c Sauternes with sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking until sugar dissolves and syrup is clear. Remove from heat and let cool while pears finish baking. Drizzle syrup over pears before serving.

POACHED PEARS IN SAUTERNES

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife, score a zigzag pattern in the skin around the top of each pear, working downwards from the stalk. Leaving the zigzag skin at the top in place, peel the rest of each pear very thinly so as to preserve their shape.
• Remove the core from the base using a corer or small melon baller. Cut the orange zest into thin strips.
• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan big enough to hold everything, including the pears. Set over a medium heat until the liquid comes to the boil, then reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering. The cooking time will vary according to the ripeness of the pears. Very ripe pears will only take 5 minutes, much less ripe fruit will need up to 15 minutes. As soon as they are ready, turn off the heat.
• Transfer the pears with their poaching syrup to a bowl and leave at room temperature until needed. Serve one or two pears on each plate with a little orange zest and some of the syrup.

ROQUEFORT TOASTS WITH PEPPERED PEARS

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan until very hot, brush or toss the pears with a little oil, sprinkle with the crushed pepper, then griddle for 1-2 mins on each side until nicely striped.
• Put the cheese into a mixing bowl, break it up a little with a wooden spoon, then beat it until almost smooth. Very softly whip the cream in a small bowl, then fold into the cheese and spoon into 2 small ramekins or pots.
• Whisk the dressing ingredients together with some seasoning, turn the leaves in the dressing a few times to coat, then serve with the toasted sourdough, griddled pears and the cheese.

BAKED PEARS WITH SAUTERNES CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, then core from bottom using a melon-ball cutter or a sharp small knife. Stir together raisins, brown sugar, zests, and 2 tablespoons Sauternes and fill pear cavities with mixture. Stand pears upright in a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold them and pour remaining cup Sauternes over pears.
• Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer pears to a serving dish or plates using a metal spatula to hold filling in place and pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl.
• Whisk together yolks and granulated sugar in a large metal bowl and add hot cooking liquid in a stream, whisking constantly. Put bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and vigorously whisk, or beat with a handheld electric mixer, until mixture is tripled in volume and registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Serve pears warm with sauce.

POACHED SAFFRON PEARS

Steps:

• Soak the saffron in warm water and leave for an hour. Dissolve the caster sugar in the water and ginger wine in a medium pan. Turn up the heat and boil for 3-4 minutes before adding the star anise and orange peel. Turn the heat to low and add the pears, peeled with stalks left on. Press scrunched greaseproof paper lightly over the pears. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally turning.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Strain the syrup into a jug and stir in the soaked saffron and liquid. Pour over the pears. Cover and chill for 24 hours, turning once.
• Place each pear on a separate plate, drizzle over a little syrup. Serve with dollops of mascarpone.

CARAMELIZED PEAR AND ROQUEFORT TART

Steps:

• To make the crust, put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until ground. Add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until most of the butter is incorporated into the flour. Add the yolk mixture and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic. Chill.
• To make the filling, melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the pears to the skillet and saute until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the pears from the skillet and repeat with the remaining pears. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough between large sheets of plastic wrap and fit it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Cover with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake the crust until it is golden, about 7 minutes more.
• Arrange the pear halves in a circle over the dough, core side down and wider end toward the edge of the pan. Fill in the center with more pears. Crumble the cheese over and around the pears.
• Whisk together the half-and- half, sugar, egg yolks and flour. Pour over the pears. Bake until the custard is set, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, simmer the port in a small saucepan until it is reduced to a syrup. While the tart is still warm and just before serving, brush the port over the pears. Cut into wedges and serve.

MULLED PEARS WITH ROQUEFORT DRESSING

Steps:

• Put the pears in a pan large enough to fit them in a single layer on the base. Pour over the wine and 300ml water, sprinkle over the sugar, then add the cinnamon stick. Put a small saucepan lid on top so the pears stay submerged under the liquid, then simmer for 10 mins until tender, but not mushy. Cool in the liquid, then chill until ready to eat. Can be made the previous day.
• Make the dressings. First, mix the vinegar and oil with seasoning in a bowl. Make the Roquefort dressing by slowly warming the cheese in a pan with the crème fraîche.
• Toast the pecans in a dry pan, then set aside. Take the pears from their poaching liquid, slice them three-quarters of the way up from the base toward the stalk end, then fan out on plates. Toss the watercress in the vinegar and oil dressing, pile onto the plates, then sprinkle over the nuts. Pour the warm Roquefort dressing around the pears or serve in shot glasses or mini jugs on the plates for guests to pour themselves.