Entertaining Entrees French

Spiced pears with Gorgonzola

Name: Spiced pears with Gorgonzola
Prep time: 385 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 430 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: /french
Ingredients: 600ml red wine; 225g caster sugar; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 2 bay leaves; 1 lemon, zested, juiced; Large piece orange peel; 6 large firm Corella (or 18 baby Paradise) pears, peeled; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard; Baby salad leaves; 300g Gorgonzola or similar blue cheese, cut into wedges

Rate now

6h 25m

45m

Jump to recipe

These sweet spiced pears perfectly balance the rich and bitey Gorgonzola.

600ml red wine
225g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, zested, juiced
Large piece orange peel
6 large firm Corella (or 18 baby Paradise) pears, peeled
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Baby salad leaves
300g Gorgonzola or similar blue cheese, cut into wedges

Method

1.

Place the red wine, sugar, cinnamon, coriander, bay leaves, lemon zest and juice, and orange peel in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pears, making sure they are completely covered (add water if necessary), and poach for 20 minutes (10 minutes for baby pears) or until just tender. Transfer pears to a plate and reduce the liquid in the saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until syrupy. Reserve 2 tablespoons and pour remaining syrup over the pears and refrigerate.
2.

Place reserved poaching liquid, vinegar, oil and mustard in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper and whisk together.
3.

Place salad leaves on each plate, top with a pear and drizzle with a little dressing. Serve with a wedge of Gorgonzola.