A delicious way to indulge in pears

Baked pears with cheese, walnuts and honey? Yes, please!

California Pears brings us this scrumptious recipe perfect for fall gatherings. It can be used as an appetizer, side, main dish or even a savory dessert. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients 

Yields: 2 servings

2 California Pears*

1/2 cup goat cheese

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey – plus extra for drizzle

1/4 cinnamon

salt to taste

*We recommend using Bosc pears because they hold up well when baked. For a slightly sweeter pear that does not fall apart in the oven, try California Red Pears.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut your pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out the core and seeds, leaving the flesh intact.

3. In a bowl, add goat cheese, olive oil, honey and 2 tablespoons of the chopped walnuts and stir well to combine.

4. Fill each pear with about 1 rounded tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture.
5. Top each stuffed pear with the remaining chopped walnuts and sprinkle each pear with cinnamon.

6. Place the baking sheet onto the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

7. Once the pears are finished baking, carefully remove from the oven and lightly drizzle each baked pear with additional honey. Serve immediately.

NOTE: We also enjoy a similar dish using blue cheese instead of goat cheese. Follow the directions above, but leave off the cinnamon sprinkle and top with cooked bacon (and walnuts) after the pears finish baking. We like to serve this dish on a bed of mixed greens or arugula that has been tossed in lemon juice, oil and salt. You can’t go wrong with either variation and the combination of sweet and savory will delight your tastebuds.

This recipe is brought to you by California Pears.