Mascarpone, Gorgonzola And Poached Pear Salad

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 red chile
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 2 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 2 lemons
• 600 g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 750 ml red wine
• 6 cooking pears
• 250 ml mascarpone cheese
• 200 g gorgonzola
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon chives
• 1 tablespoon spring onion
• salad leaves

Recipe

• 1 the salad leaves (for serving) can be anything you want but rocket and lambs lettuce would be nice.
• 2 the mascarpone needs to be at room temperature and the gorgonzola cut into 2 cm cubes.
• 3 cut the chill in half.
• 4 chop the basil, chives and spring onions and put to one side.
• 5 thinly pare the zest from the two lemons.
• 6 the pears should be firm cooking pears such as comice.
• 7 peel the pears but leave the stalks on and keep them whole.
• 8 you will need a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears.
• 9 put the chili, rosemary, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest and juice, sugar, honey and the red wine into the saucepan.
• 10 bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
• 11 add the pears to the pan and some water only if needed to just cover the pears, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 40 minutes - or until the pears are cooked.
• 12 when you can easily insert a knife through the pears they are done. the cooking time will depend on the size, how ripe the pears are and the variety of pear.
• 13 the liquid should be a spicy syrup.
• 14 when done, remove the pears with a slotted spoon, place gently on a plate to cool - not the serving plates at the stage.
• 15 now gently mix the mascarpone and gorgonzola together and then stir in the basil, chives and spring onions.
• 16 arrange some salad leaves on 6 serving plates and place a pear on each.
• 17 add a spoonful of the cheese and a little of the spicy syrup and serve.