Fresh and Tasty Pear and Prosciutto Appetizer [Intro to Cooking]

By Ari

Pear topped with Prosciutto, Goat Cheese and Honey

If there is one thing that you need to know about me, it is that I love pork in all forms. Prosciutto is one of my favorites, second only to thick cut bacon. Even better is any way that I can combine it with the season’s freshest fruits and vegetables. The best part of it (if it can get better than pork) is how easy this is to assemble.

I serve this with baked chicken, or by itself with drinks!

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe pear
• 1/4 lb. of prosciutto
• Approx. 4 oz. brie or crumbled goat’s cheese
• 2 tbsp. honey
• freshly cracked pepper

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 12 servings

1. After washing, slice pear horizontally, yielding about 12 slices. Cut out seeds.
2. Cut prosciutto slices in half, turning the strips into squares. Place prosciutto pieces in a hot skillet, and sear lightly on both sides. Place cooked meat on paper towels to drain the extra fat.
3. After removing all of the prosciutto, place the pear slices in the pan, and cook for about 1-2 minutes on both sides.
4. After drying the pear slices, you are ready to assemble.
5. Arrange pear slices on plate. Top with slices of prosciutto. Crumble or spread cheese on top.
6. Drizzle very lightly with honey.
7. Finish with just a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.

Pro-Tips:

1. Grilling the pear slices allows for the pear’s natural sugars to caramelize, leaving a beautiful little crust on the fruit. Because of this, you can use less honey, making this perfect for those of you on the low carb kick.
2. I’ve used several different cheeses with this recipe, including a cow’s brie, goat’s brie and crumble goat’s cheese. I overwhelmingly prefer the goat’s brie. Just the right amount of tang, but still creamy!