Mascarpone with Gorgonzola, Roasted Walnuts & Dried Pears in Verjuice
Recipe by Maggie Beer from Chefs Christmas 2009
This is a savoury dish which can be used to make a perfect cool-weather salad, with rocket and radicchio, if in season, and slices of prosciutto. Add walnuts that have been roasted then rubbed of their skins, then toss the salad with a little extra virgin olive oil and slivers of blue cheese, bocconcini or goat’s curd. Can be started the day before …
Serves 8
Ingredients
Dried Pears Poached in Verjuice
- 1½ cups (375 ml) verjuice
- rind of 1 lemon
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 6 black peppercorns
- ½ “strips of 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 200 g dried pears
To serve
- 200 g dolce gorgonzola
- 200 g mascarpone – the thickest one you can find
- 16 walnuts, pre-roasted and skins rubbed off
Method
- Place all the ingredients except pears in a heavy-based saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, add pears (do not allow them to overlap) and simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the dried pears are soft. Set aside, leaving pears to cool in the poaching liquid.
- When the pears are cool, take out of the liquid and pat dry; this liquid can be used again
- for poaching or in the next vinaigrette you make.
- Once the pears are cool, choose a serving dish or mould that is a round or rectangle in shape. Line with cling wrap.
- Divide the dolce gorgonzola and Mascarpone into three portions.
- Begin with one third of gorgonzola pressed into the mould. Then place one third mascarpone. At this stage you might have to refrigerate to set the mascarpone a little. Continue with this layering and finish with a layer of mascarpone.
- Serve with walnuts and serve with poached pears.
