Baked Pear and Roquefort Crostini
Ingredients
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
8 cups peeled, cored, and cubed pears, about 8 pears or 3 1/2 to 4 pounds (Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc)
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 short (2-inch lengths) cinnamon sticks
roquefort cheese
toasted walnut halves
crostini bread
Directions
- Put the lemon juice and sliced lemon in a large, stainless steel saucepan. Add the pears as you chop them, tossing with the lemon juice as you add them. Add the water and ginger, then stir in the sugars and add cinnamon sticks. Stir well to blend. Let stand for 4 hours.
- Place the pan (uncovered) over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently, until very thick and gel stage is reached. Test for the gel by placing a little on a cold saucer then put it in the freezer. When you drag your finger through the mixture, it should wrinkle. This will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Top each piece of crostini with a generous amount of cheese. Top with some of the pear preserves and a walnut ½. Can be served cold or warm.
