Red Wine Poached Pears with Blue Cheese

Core the pears from the bottom using a melon baller. Make a very thin slice from the bottom of the pear so it will easily stand up. Choose a creamy blue cheese for the filling in this very elegant dessert. If you prefer, substitute a goat cheese for the blue cheese. 1. In a medium saucepan combine wine, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add pears; reduce to a simmer and place a piece of waxed paper or cheesecloth directly over the pears (to keep them submerged and from discoloring). Simmer 10 minutes or until pears are just tender when pierced with a knife. (Timing may vary depending upon the ripeness of the pears; check after 7 minutes). With a slotted spoon, tranfer pears to a plate, stem end up. 2. Bring the wine mixture to a boil over high heat. Add raisins and boil 7 minutes until liquid is reduced to a syrup thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove raisins with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the raisins and cool to room temperature. 3. In a small bowl, mash blue cheese with milk until well blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a pastry bag with a large tip. Pipe cheese mixture into hollow of the pears. Place one pear up right on each plate (filled end down) and spoon the wine syrup and raisins over the pears. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 379 calories, 8g total fat, 4.8g saturated fat, 4.6g dietary fiber, 19 mg cholesterol, 363mg sodium.