Ingredients:
(Polenta)
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups polenta
(Pears)
- 1 750 ml bottle red wine, preferably dry
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 Bosc pears, cored, peeled, and halved lengthwise
(Topping)
- 1 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled and crushed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pont-l’Évêque
Directions:
For the polenta:
- Bring the water, milk, butter and salt to a boil in a large saucepot.
- Gradually add the polenta while whisking aggressively for 3-4 minutes to prevent any lumps. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and stir with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes until the polenta is fully cooked, creamy and smooth, approximately 45 minutes. If needed, add additional water to achieve the desired consistency.
For the pears:
- While the polenta is cooking, combine the red wine, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add pear halves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer uncovered until the pears are tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove the pears and slice when cool.
- Continue cooking the liquid until reduced to 2 cups. Strain and reserve.
To assemble:
- Combine the crushed pistachios, lemon zest, orange zest, and parsley, and add salt to taste.
- Place the polenta into a bowl, layer the Pont l’Eveque, sliced pears, and pistachios. Drizzle the reduced wine sauce on top.
Nutritional Information:
- 8 servings, 8 oz cheese, does not include salt and pepper
- Calories 622
- Total Fat 23 g
- Saturated Fat 6 g
- Cholesterol 24 mg
- Sodium 665 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 73 g
- Dietary Fiber 5 g
- Sugars 39 g
- Protein 17 g