Ginger Ale Poached Pear with Gorgonzola Filling

Ingredients:

Ginger ale poached pear with candied ginger-Gorgonzola filling

Pears are traditionally poached in red wine with spices. I figured a good strong ginger ale would work reasonably well for this, and I was not disappointed.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 bottles good, strong ginger ale
- 1 pear
- mild Gorgonzola
- candied ginger - crystallized would be fine if you're not near a Trader Joes with the uncrystallized variety
- white wine

Step 1:

Start by pouring your bottle of ginger ale into a large, wide sauce pan. You don't want it to be very deep.

Add about a quarter cup of white wine, then light the burner and bring to a boil. While it heats:

Step 2:

Finely mince a few pieces of candied ginger.

Step 3:

Microwave a small chunk of Gorgonzola for about 2 seconds. It will melt partially and become very easy to mix around as a single mass. Stir in the minced ginger to create your pear's creamy filling.

Step 4:

Peel the pear and slice the bottom off of it so it will stand up relatively straight.

Step 5:

Using a melon baller or very tiny ice cream scoop, dig from the bottom of the pear up through the core. Remove the core and excavate a bit of flesh from around it as well.

Step 6:

Now fill that cavity with the Gorgonzola mixture.

Step 7:

Once the poaching liquid is barely simmering, put the pear into it, laying on one side.

Step 8:

About seven minutes into the cooking process, turn the pear so the other half can soak in some gingery goodness. It's done when a paring knife goes through the pear with very little resistance. At that point, pull it out. Your poaching liquid needs to be reduced from this:

Step 9:

to this:

Step 10:

That will take 15-20 minutes of hard boiling. Now you have a wonderful, rich sauce to put over your pear.

Plate simply and drizzle sauce over it.

Step 11:

Close up showing pear with Gorgonzola filling.