Walnut Pear And Roquefort Madeleines Food

ROQUEFORT, PEAR AND WALNUT TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Arrange 12 slices of baguette on the broiler pan in a single layer. Toast bread lightly on each side under broiler. Remove broiler pan from broiler. Spread out sliced pears on cutting surface and squeeze the juice of a wedge of lemon over the slices to keep them from browning. Place a slice of pear on each toast and top with Roquefort crumbles and walnut pieces. Return pan to broiler 6 inches from heat source and broil toasts 2 or 3 minutes to melt cheese and toast walnuts. Transfer to a plate and start snacking!

ENDIVE WITH PEARS, WALNUTS, AND ROQUEFORT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in oils; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine whole and cut-up endive, pear slices, walnuts, and cheese. Drizzle with dressing; gently toss to coat evenly. Divide among four salad bowls. Serve immediately.

PEARS STUFFED WITH ROQUEFORT AND WALNUTS IN PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Mash together cheese, bread crumbs, walnuts, and pepper to taste with a fork. Freeze mixture just until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Scoop out center of bottom of each pear with large end of a melon-ball cutter, then continue to remove core to make a 1/4-cup cavity. Fill each cavity evenly with cheese mixture and seal bottom with a small piece of bread.
• Roll out pastry 1/16 inch thick into a 15-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut dough into quarters to make 4 equal pieces.
• Stand 1 pear in center of a pastry square and brush pear all over with egg. Bring 1 corner of pastry up toward top of pear, pressing it against pear to adhere. Repeat with adjacent corner, then generously brush extending pastry fold with egg before pressing closely against side of pear. Repeat process with remaining 2 corners. Fold top points of pastry 1/4 inch down (see photo) and brush with egg. Transfer wrapped pear to a buttered large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan and chill while wrapping remaining pears (make sure pears are 5 inches apart in baking pan).
• Chill wrapped pears 30 minutes.
• Bake pears in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until fruit is just tender when pierced with a knife and pastry is golden and cooked through (pastry will shrink a bit). Cool pears at least 15 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

ENDIVE SALAD WITH PEARS, ROQUEFORT AND WALNUTS AND DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together mustard and vinegar until well incorporated, add shallots and while whisking constantly slowly add the olive oil until all is emulsified into the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until needed. Combine the endives, pears, walnuts and Roquefort cheese in a medium bowl and toss. Place mixture in the middle of a plate and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

WALNUT, PEAR, AND ROQUEFORT MADELEINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter madeleine molds.
• Mix flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
• Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
• Whisk oil, buttermilk, and cheese and add to medium bowl.
• Sift flour mixture into egg mixture (don't overmix).
• Fold pear and walnuts into mixture.
• Fill molds 2/3rds of the way with mixture.
• Bake until puffy and golden (12 to 16 minutes).
• Cool in rack.
• Serve warm.

ENDIVE, PEAR, AND ROQUEFORT SALAD

Steps:

• Trim off the core end of each head of endive and slice it in half lengthwise. Cut out the cores, separate the leaves, and place 1 1/2 to 2 heads of endive on each plate.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Toss the pears with some vinaigrette and place on the endive. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the endive leaves to moisten them. Crumble the Roquefort onto the endive. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve at room temperature.

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.