Blood Orange Roasted Pears with Pumpkin Seed Crunch

Whenever we serve Blood Orange Roasted Pears with Pumpkin Seed Crunch as Birchwood’s fruit course at breakfast, nearly everyone asks for the recipe. This is our version of Roasted Pear Crumble that appeared in the October 2013 issue of Bon Appetit, and it’s most assuredly a winner!

Serves 4.

2 ripe firm Bartlett or Anjou pears

2 teaspoons blood orange olive oil

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons oats

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/4 cup mascarpone (or cream cheese mixed with a little sugar, or a contrasting ice cream or sorbet)

Mint leaves for garnish

Blood Orange olive oil adds extra zing to the pears.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cut pears in half and core with a melon baller. Brush the cut side of the pears with the blood orange olive oil. Place the pears, cut side up, on a baking sheet, and bake on the upper rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until soft but not mushy.

Mix the pecans, pumpkin seeds, brown sugar, oats, salt, and the extra virgin olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Toast the crumble mix on the lower rack of the oven and stir occasionally until golden, about 12-14 minutes. Mix in the sesame seeds and let cool. (We make up a triple or quadruple batch and refrigerate so that we always have some on hand.)

Place each pear on a plate. Spoon the mascarpone into the center of each pear. Top with the pumpkin seed crunch. Add a mint leaf and serve… to rave reviews.