Poached pears add sweetness to this elegant dessert, and blue cheese adds richness and tang. A drizzle of honey finishes it off. The wine-soaked pears add a classy touch to a classic pairing, making it a great way to end any meal.
Instructions: Leave the stems on the pears when you peel them, and cut a small piece off the bottom of each pear so it can stand up straight. Put the red wine, cinnamon stick, cloves, and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Make sure the pears are covered in the wine mixture when you add them to the saucepan. Let it cook slowly for twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until the pears are soft but not mushy. Take the pears out of the wine mixture and let them cool down a bit. Cut the blue cheese into wedges that are not too thick. Put a pear on a plate, drizzle it with honey, and top it off with blue cheese slices. You can use the wine mixture as a sauce for the pears, or you can reduce it over medium-low heat until it gets a little thicker.