500gms baby pears, cut in half and cored (keep the skin on)
35 gms butter (salted)
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup maple syrup
a few sprigs of bay leaves
About 3 – 4 Tbs roughly chopped raw walnuts
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350 F.
Cut the pears in half and remove the core with a melon baller (this makes it so easy to do). Place the pears on the bay leaves on a small baking tray.
Add the butter, maple, vanilla and 2 bay leaves to a small pot and bring to the boil and then pour ¾ of the sauce over the pears.
Roast in the oven for 25 minutes and until the pears are starting to soften. If pears are over-ripe, reduce the roasting time to 15 minutes.
Take the tray out the oven and tuck the cheese in amongst the pears.
Drizzle over the remaining sauce and scatter over the chopped walnuts. Return the tray to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes.
Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers.
Serves 4 – 6
Courtesy of Sam Linsell