Fresh Pear with Roquefort Cream

Pear and blue cheese is one of those pairings that just works. The sweet, juicy fruit against the sharp, salty funk of Roquefort is a combination that’s been gracing French cheese boards for centuries, and this recipe turns it into a simple, elegant appetizer.

The Roquefort gets mashed with heavy cream, a splash of dry white wine, and a pinch of cayenne until smooth and spoonable. The cream softens the cheese’s intensity, the wine adds a floral note, and the cayenne brings a whisper of heat that you feel at the very end of each bite.

Halve a ripe pear, core it, rub the cut sides with lemon to stop browning, and spoon the cream into the hollow. That’s it. Five ingredients, no cooking, and it looks like you spent serious time on it.

Pro Tips

• Bring the Roquefort to room temperature before mashing. Cold cheese stays lumpy and won’t blend smooth
• Use a ripe but firm pear. Too soft and it collapses under the cream; too hard and it won’t have enough sweetness to balance the cheese
• Rub the lemon on the cut sides immediately after halving. Pears brown fast
• Serve slightly chilled, not ice cold. The cheese cream flavors mute at fridge temperature

Variations

• Swap Roquefort for Gorgonzola dolce for a milder, creamier blue cheese filling
• Scatter chopped toasted walnuts over the filled pears for crunch
• Drizzle with a thin stream of honey for an extra layer of sweetness against the salty cheese