Pears with Goat Cheese – Popular and Easy Gourmet Recipe

See related image detail. Spiced Pears with Goat Cheese

These spiced pears with goat cheese are a beautiful way to dress up your dinner!

And, they are super easy to make, and the aroma from the cooking pears will make your house smell magnificent!

A versatile dish, they can be served warm or cold as appetizer/salad dish, or as dessert.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 ripe pears
  • 3-4 ounces chevre goat cheese
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 lemon, or about 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground ginger, or 1/8 tsp. dried ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 cup honey

 

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Prepare a baking dish by coating the bottom with half of the lemon juice.
  • Combine the water, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a bowl and mix well.
  • For the pears – Ripe pears are fairly soft, so you’ll want to be extra gentle in handling them during preparation.
  • First, cut the pears in half lengthwise, using a very sharp knife to avoid bruising them. Then, core the pears by scooping out the center &mdash a serrated grapefruit spoon works well for this. Finally, peel the pear halves, and place cut side down in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remainder of the lemon juice over the pears.
  • Add the spice mixture to the baking dish, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the pears are tender, but still hold their shape well.
  • Remove from the oven, and gently turn the pears over.
  • Using about 1/2 ounce goat cheese for each pear, press the cheese into a spoon to mold it into an oval shape, then carefully place in the center of each of the baked pears.
  • Return to the oven, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly warm and soft.
  • Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon, a spoonful of the spiced syrup, and a drizzle of honey for each pear.

 

Serving Suggestions:

These spiced pears make a delicious and beautiful dessert when served warm, straight from the oven.

However, they can also double as a salad or appetizer.

For a salad, chill the cooked pears thoroughly before adding cold goat cheese and honey. Serve on a bed of spring greens, or a leaf of Romaine lettuce.