Ingredients

• 4 blush pears
• peeled leaving a little skin around the stalk like a collar
• 1 x 750ml bottle dry white wine
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 1 red chilli
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 blush pears
• halved and cored
• 16 walnuts
• chopped
• 16 almonds
• chopped
• 1 small shallot
• finely chopped
• 4 tbsp runny honey
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice only
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• olive oil
• for drizzling
• selection of cold meats
• blue cheese
• British soft cheese

Directions

• For the poached pears
• place the pears upright in a saucepan (you may need to trim the bottom of the pears to help them stay upright). Add the white wine
• sugar and spices. Simmer until tender
• then cover and leave to cool. The pears are best if left in this liquid for a day or two to take on the colour and full taste.
• Just before serving
• remove some of the cooking liquid and boil until reduced to a sticky syrup to glaze the pear.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• For the roast pears
• place the pear halves in a roasting tin. Mix the walnuts
• almonds
• shallots
• honey
• lemon zest and juice together in a bowl. Pile over the cut sides of the pear
• sprinkle with the chilli and drizzle over the oil. Bake for 15–20 minutes. If they start to brown on top
• but the pears are still hard
• cover with kitchen foil and continue to bake for the remaining time.
• To serve
• slice the poached pears so they fan out on a serving board and place the roasted pears on the side with the cold meats and cheese.