Pears with Blue Cheese Appetizer
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These pears with blue cheese are a warm appetizer with roasted pear halves and a crumbled blue cheese filling. The pears get tender in the oven and brown on their cut surfaces before you add the cheese and a little optional nutmeg.
Serve one pear half per person as an appetizer, with bread or crackers if you like. Gorgonzola and blue Stilton are both options, or you can choose any kind of blue cheese you like.
Pears with Blue Cheese at a Glance
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 25 minutes
Total time: About 35 minutes
Servings: 4 appetizer portions
Cuisine: Not cuisine-specific
Main ingredients: Pears, blue cheese and olive oil
Best cooking method: Oven roasting
Storage: Refrigerate promptly and use within 2 days
Why You’ll Love These Roasted Pears
- A short ingredient list: Pears, blue cheese and a little oil are all you need to make this.
- Individual portions: Each pear half makes one appetizer serving, so it’s easy to scale the recipe for your guest list.
- Sweet and savory: Roasting brings out the pears’ sweetness, which pairs beautifully with salty blue cheese.
- No peeling: You can leave the skins on and just remove the cores before roasting.
Ingredient Notes
- Pears: Choose ripe but firm Bosc or Anjou pears. Very soft fruit can lose its shape and become mushy during roasting, while hard pears need longer in the oven to become tender.
- Blue cheese: Use Gorgonzola, blue Stilton or your preferred blue cheese and crumble it yourself. Blue cheese can be salty, so taste before adding any extra salt.
- Olive oil: Brush a little over the cut surfaces to help prevent sticking.
- Nutmeg: A small pinch is optional. Use it sparingly so it doesn’t overwhelm the cheese. I sprinkle it over the pear only, not the cheese.
Tips for Browning the Pears
Roast the pear halves cut side down first, then flip them with tongs before adding the cheese. Check the thickest part with a small knife: the flesh should yield with little resistance. If it’s still firm, give the pears more time before filling them.
Substitutions and Variations
- A milder cheese filling: Use soft goat cheese if you’re not a fan of blue cheese. Add it at the same stage of the recipe.
- A sweeter finish: You can drizzle a little honey over the cooked pears just before serving.
- Walnuts: Sprinkle chopped toasted walnuts over the pears at serving time if you want some crunch. Pecans would work tool.
Kitchen Equipment
- Baking dish: Use an oven-safe dish large enough to hold four pear halves in a single layer.
- Melon baller: To easily scoop out the cores and seeds. A teaspoon also works if you have no melon baller on hand.
Serving Ideas
Serve the pears warm with crusty bread or crackers. Add a small green salad if you want a larger appetizer, or serve the pears as a fruit and cheese course after dinner. My cheeseboard ideas offer more suggestions for choosing cheeses and accompaniments.
How to Store
- Refrigeration: Transfer leftovers to a shallow covered container and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room temperature is higher than 90°F (32°C). I recommend that you use the pears within a day or so for the freshest flavor.
- Reheating: Cover and warm in the oven until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature with a food thermometer.
- Freezing: Freezing makes the pears mushy and changes the cheese texture too, so I don’t recommend it.
- Make-ahead: Crumble the cheese ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. Halve and core the pears shortly before roasting.
Pears with Blue Cheese FAQs
Oh yes, definitely! I love the combination of fruit and cheese. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the pears, which complements the saltiness of the cheese.
Yes, if you enjoy a savory cheese course after dinner. Serve the warm pears with crackers, or add a small drizzle of honey if you want a sweeter finish.
Pears with Blue Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
- 2 ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc or Anjou
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 ¾ ounces (50g) blue cheese, crumbled, such as Gorgonzola or blue Stilton
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
Equipment
- Oven-safe baking dish large enough for 4 pear halves
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Melon baller or teaspoon
- Measuring spoon
- Kitchen scale
- Pastry brush or spoon
- Spatula
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wash and dry the pears. Cut them in half lengthwise, leaving the skins on. Scoop out the cores and seeds with a melon baller or teaspoon.
- Brush the cut surfaces with the olive oil. Arrange the halves cut side down in an oven-safe baking dish.
- Roast for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift a half with a spatula to check the browning and pierce the thickest part with a small knife. If the flesh is still firm, continue roasting until the knife enters with little resistance.
- Flip the pears cut side up. Divide the blue cheese between the cavities and add black pepper and the optional nutmeg.
- Return to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese softens and the pears are tender. Serve warm, allowing one pear half per person.
Notes
- Cooking time depends on the size and ripeness of the pears. The 25-minute cook time is an estimate; check tenderness before adding the cheese.
- Choose a cheese labeled vegetarian if you need a vegetarian appetizer.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
More Fruit and Cheese Recipes
My grilled pears cook in a ridged pan and can be served as part of a salad, or with cheese or ice cream for dessert. Stuffed mini peppers with goat cheese are really good as an appetizer, and my cheese fondue is always a treat.
Image credit: “DSC03537” by NickMollberg (Satanoid), Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0
