Cabrales Stuffed Poached Pears

Ingredients: 

• 6 Bosc pears

• 1/2 gallon (2 quarts) tardio (a sweet, late harvest wine made from the Torrentes grape), preferred brand, Santa Julia

• 1/2 gallon (2 quarts) Malbec

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 5 star anise

• 2 cloves

• 6 tablespoons crumbled cabrales (Spanish blue cheese)

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Method:

1. Peel pears and remove the core from the bottom using a melon baller, keeping the stem end intact. Scrub the pears with a new abrasive plastic scrubbing pad to remove any rough edges or textures left from the knife. Set the pears aside.

2. In a large stockpot, combine the tardio, red wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves and bring to a boil. Add the pears and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the pears and reduce the remaining liquid by half, about 45 minutes.

3. In a food processor, puree the cabrales and toasted walnuts, and set aside. Place the mixture in a pastry bag and stuff the pears with walnut and cabrales mixture.

4. Serve with the reduced poaching liquid.