Poached Pears with Blue Cheese & Hazelnuts

Paired with ArborBrook "Sydney" Semillon

Serves 40 appetizers or 10 for dessert

"Some stores carry the mini phyllo cups in their freezer department and are great for using in this recipe to keep kitchen prep time down. Just follow the instructions on the package for preparation." ~ Angelina

Ingredients

2 Bosc or Barrett pears, sliced in 1/4" slices, or diced if making appetizer size bites

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

1 cup quality blue cheese or gorgonzola crumbles

40 mini phyllo dough cups or 5 sheets of phyllo dough

"Sydney" Semillon for poaching & reduction

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Allspice (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon coriander

Instructions

Slice or dice pears depending if you are preparing a full dessert or appetizer bite desserts. Place in a pan with just enough Semillon to cover the fruit about half-way. Soft boil over medium high heat for 10 - 15 minutes just until the fruit becomes soft, but not mushy. Toast the chopped hazelnuts for 4 - 8 minutes until light brown. Remove the fruit from the Semillon and place in a bowl. Toss gently with allspice and coriander and set aside. Boil Semillon for 10 - 15 minutes over high heat to reduce by half. Cool in fridge before using as drizzle.

If preparing appetizer bites, do not prepare until 10 - 15 minutes before serving or phyllo will become soggy. Place a few dices of pear with a little chopped hazelnuts and a few cheese crumbles in each cup. Just before serving, drizzle Semillon reduction in each cup.

If preparing full size desserts, butter a full size phyllo dough sheet and fold in half over melted butter area. Butter with melted butter and fold in half again. Repeat with the other four sheets. Cut in half and press gently into a regular size muffin tin and bake to instructions on packaging. Leave cups at room temperature until ready to serve. Place pear slices in decorative pattern in cups. Top pears with toasted chopped hazelnuts and cheese crumbles. Drizzle sauce over cups just before serving.