Each month I search the Internet for a new recipe to highlight for a wellness website I support. It’s always a challenge to find something that meets the needs of a diverse audience – vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, pescatarian, raw, gluten free, etc. – I try to really vary my selections from month to month.
I was asked this question the other day – Have you tried all of the monthly recipes you post? Sadly my answer was “no” – not that I haven’t wanted to, I just have others that interest me more. I do pay attention to reviews though. Picking recipes to satisfy the masses is much more difficult than me posting about recipes that peek my own personal interest and since I own and operate this website, it’s all about what I like… me… me… me…
In my latest November search, I stumbled upon this gem from EatingWell.com – Roasted Pears with Brie & Pistachios. I knew immediately that I wanted to try this myself. I ended up picking a turkey recipe for the wellness website because the last couple of recipes I chose were vegetarian and lots of people have an abundance of turkey around the holidays.
Speaking of turkey and the main holiday that seems to include that – THANKSGIVING. This is the beginning of my favorite time of the year. From Halloween to Christmas – bring on the fall weather, the more savory dishes and party snacks/appetizers galore. It’s also the time where I usually increase my workouts :).
Ingredients:
- 2 Heaping Tablespoons Honey Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
- 2 Bosc Pears
- 2 Ounces Brie Cheese – Cut into 4 slices
- 4 Teaspoons Chopped Pistachios – Toasted
I preheated my oven and got to work prepping ingredients…
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Use a non-stick baking sheet or a metal pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk honey mustard, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Cut pears in half lengthwise, hollow out the core with a melon baller and slice a small piece off the other side of the pear so they will lie flat when cooking/serving.
- Brush each pear with the honey mustard glaze and place cored-side down on the baking sheet.
- Bake the pears for 25-30 minutes, basting halfway through with the glaze. Gently turn them over, baste again and place a piece of Brie in the hollow of each pear. Bake until the pears are tender and the Brie is slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle each pear half with 1 teaspoon toasted pistachios and more salt and pepper if needed and serve.
I cut my pears in half and thankfully I had picked some good ones. How do you know if they are ripe? Apply gentle pressure to the neck, or stem end, of the pear with your thumb. If it yields to pressure, then it’s ripe and ready to eat. Leave firm, unripe pears at room temperature so that they can ripen.
I put my melon baller to work and prepped all 4 halves.
I gave them a generous coating of the honey mustard glaze and popped them into the oven face down.
I started to toast my pistachios during the first 15 minutes of cook time.
I bought a cheater bag so I didn’t have to shell them myself. I used pistachios that were already salted.
I roughed chopped them and placed them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 5 minutes.
I actually used a scale and measured out my cheese – I’ve never really been one to pay attention to “ounces” when it comes to cheese, but Brie is really rich and I didn’t want to go to overboard. Not even sure it’s possible to go overboard with any cheese, ha-ha. It’s a weakness of mine for sure. I was also trying to avoid a molten lava cheese lake on my favorite baking sheet.
I popped the pears back into the oven and made one adjustment – I did end up pulling off the rind with tongs after it melted. I didn’t like the way it looked and sometimes the rind can be a little bitter and I wasn’t looking for that in this recipe.
They looked like potatoes when they were done – Hmmm…. there’s a thought. I ended up adding a little sea salt and pepper to the finished pears – next time I’d also like to drizzle a little of the honey mustard glaze on top. They were delicious, but I think the glaze would help counteract the sweetness a bit. They would be a great starter course or side dish to roasted pork or lamb. They would also be a good dessert for those that prefer savory desserts over super sweet because this combined both. I’m guessing you could really experiment with different glazes as well. A pomegranate glaze would also be fabulous.
if you are looking for a different starter course of side dish for Thanksgiving, I think this would fit the bill.
I will definitely make these or a variation again. What’s a side dish you can’t compromise on for Thanksgiving? No matter what, it WILL be on your table… For me it’s my Aunt’s cranberry relish.
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