Serves 6
3 oz (75g) Roquefort cheese
4 oz (100g) fresh cream cheese 2-3 tablespoons single cream freshly milled pepper
6 ripe dessert pears
crisp lettuce, for serving
Dressing
salt and freshly milled pepper pinch of sugar
juice of 1 lemon
3-4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
In a mixing bowl, mash the Roquefort and cream cheese together with a fork. Beat in the single cream to make a smooth mixture and season with freshly milled pepper. Chill until required.
Peel the pears and place in a bowl of cold water with lemon juice added to retain the colour. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing except chopped parsley. Halve the pears and scoop out the core with a teaspoon to make a hollow for the cheese mixture. Turn the pears in the prepared dressing and arrange them cut side up on crisp lettuce €” allow two pear halves per person on individual plates. Spoon the Roquefort cream into the cavity of each pear half. Add chopped parsley to the dressing and spoon dressing over the filled pears. The pears for this recipe must be fully ripe €” juicy Cornice or Williams pears are the best. The flavour of fresh pear and sharp Roquefort cream is delicious.