Serves 4 as an entree
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1 small baguette cut diagonally, into 12, 1.5cm slices
- 8 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 6 pears
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 8 medium shallots, peeled, cut into quarters
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 pieces bacon, cut into 2cm squares
- 2 bunches watercress, stems removed, washed and dried
- 250g Roquefort
Method
Bring cider to a boil and cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and keep warm. Heat oven to 200 degrees using 4 TBS of the butter, spread it on baguettes and toast until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut pears in half; remove seeds with a small melon baller or teaspoon. Place the pears in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add shallots to the bowl. Drizzle with remaining butter. Mix together the sugar, salt and pepper, then sprinkle on pears and shallots and mix well. Place pear/shallot mixture in a roasting pan, making sure all pears are cut side down. Roast 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. While pears are roasting, sauté bacon over medium high heat, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Remove pears and shallots and keep warm. Mix the pan drippings with the reduced cider for the dressing.
To Serve
Divide watercress among the 6 plates. Top with warm pear mixture, and sprinkle on the bacon. Drizzle with the apple cider mixture. Place a piece of Roquefort and two croutons on each plate and serve.
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