Pairing Pears, Wine, and Cheese: Two Fall Recipes

Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl | Sept. 14, 2024

As we enter the season of cooler nights and waiting in traffic behind the school bus, let’s not forget the time to celebrate summer’s true love of abundance has really just begun. The cherry trees may be well shaken, but the fields of tomatoes, corn, and zucchini are bountiful. Not to mention the apples, squash, and pumpkins that are about to make their grand entrance.

For the recipes below, we are going to shift the spotlight to an underdog of harvest season and add some new classics to our recipe box with one of my favorites: pears. To find some of the region’s best pears, check out Jelinek Orchards farm-stand in Suttons Bay or take a drive up to King Orchards in Central Lake. Look for varieties like Bosc, Bartlett, and Red Anjou, making sure to pick pears with good stems.

And, to make these recipes even better, use local goat cheese from Northport’s Idyll Farms and Sauvignon Blanc from Black Star Farms. The perfect pear pairing awaits you.

Pear Galette with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

A tender crust, creamy onions, tangy goat cheese, and sweet pears made to impress.

Crust Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Filling Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 small or 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus extra to brush crust
8 oz. Idyll Farms Plain Goat Cheese
4 small ripe Bartlett or Red Anjou pears, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

To make the filling: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and browned lightly. Add rosemary, mustard, salt, pepper, and cream. Cook until the cream has reduced down by half. Place mixture in a bowl and allow to cool while you prepare the crust. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To make the crust: In a small cup, combine the water and vinegar. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Pour oil over top. Toss gently to distribute. Drizzle over water mixture. Mix until no dry spots remain. Add a splash of water if needed. Cover in plastic and allow to rest 10 to 20 minutes.

Roll out on a large piece of parchment to a 16-inch circle. Shape the edge so it is smooth, patching together when needed, then carefully cut 1/4 inch off the edge to create a clean cut circle. Arrange onions in the center, leaving a 2-inch border. Crumble goat cheese over onions, then arrange pear slices on top. Fold the crust over the filling. (It is okay to cover some of the pears.) Brush the crust with 2 tablespoons of cream.

Bake galette for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden. Turn up the oven 50 degrees during the last 5 to 10 minutes or put under a broiler for color if desired. Drizzle on honey, then sprinkle with walnuts. Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Poached Pear Cake with Cardamom & White Chocolate

A stunning centerpiece that also happens to be dessert.

Poached Pear Ingredients
3 medium Bosc pears, peeled, stems intact
2 1/2 cups Black Star Farms Arcturos Sauvignon Blanc or water
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods

Cake Ingredients
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) softened butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground cardamom
3 oz. white chocolate, melted

To make the pears: Put the pears in a small pot. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 15 to 30 minutes until pears are tender but still hold their shape (timing will depend on ripeness of pears). Remove pears and set aside to cool. Continue to boil the syrup until reduced by half. Chill until ready to serve.

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour mixture until no dry spots remain. Spread into the prepared pan. Smooth top. Gently press in the poached pears, stem side up, two-thirds of the way down into the cake.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if the cake browns too much. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with white chocolate. Allow to set. Cut into thick slices. Spoon over syrup before serving.

Nora Rae Pearl is 99 percent foodie and 1 percent chef. When she is not writing about food, she can be found waiting in line at the farmers market hoping to get a croissant before they run out. Photo credits Cody Werme.