- Cheese:
- 1 cup California Ricotta cheese
- Port-Poached Pears:
- 2 pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, peeled and cored
- 2 cups port wine
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- Place pears, port and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning pears occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let pears cool in poaching liquid. Remove pears from liquid. Cut a small slice about 1/4 inch thick from the rounded bottom of the pear so it will sit upright on the plate. Set aside. Place poaching liquid over medium-high heat and cook until it becomes thick and syrupy. Set aside and let cool. Cut each pear in half vertically.
- For each serving drizzle some of the reduced poaching liquid over an individual serving plate. Place one pear half on plate. Fill the pear cavity with 1/4 cup cheese. Reserve remaining poaching liquid for another use.