Barbecued Stilton Pears

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  thin slices  rye bread
• 1  ounce unsalted butter
• 2  firm dessert pears
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 2  ounces Stilton cheese or 2  ounces  other blue cheese, rind removed
•  watercress (to garnish)

Directions

1. Trim the bread to oval shapes a little larger than the pears, and thinly butter one side of each slice.
2. Peel the pears and halve them lengthwise- scoop out the cores using a teaspoon.
3. Cut a thin sliver off the rounded side of each pear half to make it stand level.
4. Heat the grill to high.
5. Put the pear halves in a pan of water with the lemon juice, and bring to the boil.
6. Remove the fruit with a slotted spoon, or tip into a sieve to drain; pat dry.
7. Place a pear half, cut side up, on each bread slice.
8. Cover with cheese slivers, making sure no cheese hangs over the edge.
9. Place the pears, still on the bread, in the grill pan, and grill until the cheese bubbles.
10. Place each pear on a small warmed plate, garnish the narrow end of each pear with watercress and serve at once.