Blue Cheese Roasted Pears with Pomegranate & Pine Nuts Recipe

Roasted pears make an elegant side dish or sophisticated dessert for any winter season celebration. Don’t miss out now that the holidays are over! Not only do pears support a healthy lifestyle, the mild yet honey-sweet flesh of a delicious pear makes the perfect pair-up with big, bold flavors. My Blue Cheese Roasted Pears with Pomegranate & Pine Nuts takes baked fruit to the next level!

Not that I always go for the best-looking fruit in the basket, but the Bosc pear can’t be beat on beauty and good taste when it comes to creating an elegant pear recipe. The elongated, tapered neck and rich cinnamon color set them apart from other varieties. Plus, the flesh of a Bosc pear sweetens early and holds up well to baking, roasting, sautéing and other cooking methods, where others would turn to mush. However, if you can’t find Bosc pears at the market, Bartlett and Anjou make worthy substitutions.

Another wonderful thing about pear dishes, such as my baked pears, are their chic simplicity for a dinner party. Just mix together a few ingredients, pop in the oven and catch up with friends over a glass of wine while you wait for the flavor-mingling magic to happen. Fragrant aromas will start wafting out of the oven, that’s when your nose tells your brain that it’s time to take a look-see. When the pears are softening, the cheese bubbling and the pan sauces syrup-in, your masterpiece is ready to sway even the most finicky of foodies on your invite list.

Serve Blue Cheese Roasted Pears with Pomegranate & Pine Nuts aside a main dish such as pork loin, roast, or goose. As a fruit dessert, these bold roasted pears will punctuate the end of your meal with a savory-sweet exclamation point. And, should you have leftovers (ha), add a pear half to your salad or slice them up and whip out the panini press.