Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios

Put a new twist on this holiday season with Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios! Every year, the holidays come around, and you find yourself in the same old routine of pre-prepared gift baskets and lackluster appetizers. Why not switch up your favorite traditional offerings this year for something exciting and new?

Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios are a simple and healthy dish that will please everyone around the dinner table. With sweet pears infused with smokey fragrances, creamy brie cheese, and crunchy pistachios, this delectable dish is sure to become an instant classic. The best part? It's straightforward to make, so even novice cooks can prepare it effortlessly!

The presentation of this appetizer is just as thematic as its aroma and taste, and taking the care to create organized grill marks on the pears brings elegance to the plating. The pears are coated with a glaze of honey mustard, lemon, salt, and pepper, bringing a sweet and tangy flavor that compliments the creamy Brie. Toasted chopped pistachios bring a wonderful texture and fragrance to each pear.

This is the perfect appetizer for a holiday menu that is sure to turn heads and please palettes. Give your guests a festive treat they won't soon forget when you serve up our Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios!

Serves 4

Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 ripe pears, preferably Bosc
• 2 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 4 slices
• 4 teaspoons chopped pistachios, toasted (see Tip)

Christmas Grilled Pears with Brie & Pistachios Directions

1. Turn burners to low and preheat grill to 350-400°F.
2. Whisk mustard, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Cut pears in half lengthwise, leave stems for presentation, hollow out the core and slice a small piece off the other side so they will lie flat when served. Brush with the mustard glaze and place cored-side down at an angle on the oiled grill grate.
4. Cook pears on a covered grill for 15 minutes and check to see if the pears have softened and have a solid grill mark. If they do not, continue to cook, cover and check every 5 to 10 minutes.   Turn pears on an angle to create another grill mark (this is how you get a crisscross pattern), baste again with mustard glaze, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
5. Gently turn them over, baste again and place a piece of Brie in the hollow of each pear. Bake until the pears are tender and the Brie is slightly softened 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle each pear half with one teaspoon of pistachios (See tip below).

Tip: To toast seeds and chopped, small, or sliced nuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, constantly stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Taken from eatingwell.com http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/roasted_pears_brie_pistachio.html