This soup is a great appetizer as an introduction to a special meal. I always like something a little different for setting the stage for a great meal. I often refer to this as the “married couple”. The bleu cheese old, biting and set in his ways and the pear curvaceous, sweet and pleasant.

Ready

• 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 14 oz vegetable stock
• ½ tsp paprika
• juice of ½ a lemon
• 6 oz Rouquefort cheese*
• salt and ground black pepper
• watercress sprigs for garnish
• ………………
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 pears, halved, cored and cut into ¼ inch wedges

Set

• Heavy bottom sauce pan
• Sauté pan
• Ladle
• Food processor
• Fine mesh strainer

Go

1. Heat oil in pan. Sweat onion until soft.
2. Add pears and stock and bring to boil for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in paprika, lemon juice, cheese. Stir to melt cheese and incorporate.
4. Allow soup to cool slightly and puree until smooth.
5. Strain soup through fine mesh strainer, back into pan. Let set.
6. Meanwhile caramelized pears by adding to hot butter in sauté pan.
7. Cook, turning occasionally, until pears are golden.
8. Place soup back on heat and heat gently,
9. Ladle into small bowls and add a few pears to each.
10. Garnish with sprigs of watercress.

What you should know

*Any strong flavored blue cheese will work (i.e., Stilton, Gorgonzola).