Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears (Print version)
Warm baked pears filled with blue cheese, walnuts, thyme, and honey for an easy sweet-savory appetizer.
# Ingredients:
For the pears
01 -
3 firm-ripe pears, such as Bosc or Anjou, halved lengthwise
02 -
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
03 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
04 -
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
05 -
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the filling
06 -
4 oz (115 g) blue cheese, crumbled
07 -
1/2 cup (55 g) walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
08 -
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
09 -
2 tablespoons honey or hot honey, warmed
10 -
Flaky salt, for finishing
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 -
Halve the pears lengthwise and scoop out the cores with a melon baller or small spoon. Trim a thin slice from the rounded side of each half if needed so they sit flat.
03 -
Brush the cut sides with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with fine salt and black pepper.
04 -
Place the pears cut side up and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges begin to soften but the pears still hold their shape.
05 -
Divide the blue cheese and walnuts among the pear hollows. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.
06 -
Return the pears to the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the cheese is creamy and the walnuts smell toasted.
07 -
Drizzle the warm pears with honey and finish with a little flaky salt and extra thyme. Serve warm.
# Good to know:
01 -
Best served warm, soon after baking.
02 -
Use firm-ripe pears so they soften without collapsing.
03 -
Hot honey adds gentle heat, but regular honey works well.