Warm Roquefort cheesecake

With pears in balsamic vinaigrette, perfect for entertaining as a buffet dish. The pears in balsamic vinaigrette can be prepared up to two hours before serving.

100g white breadcrumbs
50g Pecorino (or parmesan), finely grated
25g butter, melted
freshly ground black pepper

For the filling:
3 eggs, beaten
250g medium fat curd cheese
125g crème fraiche
175g Roquefort
1 T chives, snipped
4 spring onions, finely diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For the pears in balsamic vinaigrette:
4 pears, firm but ripe
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 t sea salt
1 t mustard powder
1 T balsamic vinegar
4 T extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

1x spring-form cake tin, 23cm in diameter

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

For the base

Mix the breadcrumbs and Pecorino together, then pour in the butter, adding a good grinding of pepper.
Press the crumb mixture firmly down all over the base of the tin, then bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes (time will vary slightly, so it needs careful watching - the base should crisp and be toasted, if undercooked it does not have a crunchy texture). Then remove it from the oven. and turn the heat down to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

For the filling:

Beat together the eggs and curd cheese in a bowl, then stir in the crème fraiche and seasoning.
Crumble the Roquefort fairly coarsely and stir it in, together with the chives.
Pour the mixture into the tin and scatter the diced spring onion over the top.
Place on the high shelf of the oven, reduce the heat to 180°C and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the centre feels springy to the touch.
Allow the cheesecake to cool and settle for about 20 minutes before serving cut into slices

Pears in balsamic vinaigrette:

Thinly pare off the skins of the pears using a potato peeler, being careful to leave the stalks intact. Lay each pear on its side with the stalk flat on a board. Take a very sharp knife and make an incision through the tip of the stalk. Turn the pear the right way up and gently cut it in half, first sliding the knife through the stalk and then through the pear.
Remove the central core of each half, then, with the pear core side downwards, slice it thinly but leave the slices joined at the top. Press gently and the slices will fan out.
Crush the clove of garlic and sea salt together with a pestle and mortar until it becomes a creamy paste. Add the mustard and several grinds of black pepper. Work these into the garlic, then, using a small whisk, add the balsamic vinegar and then the oil - whisking all the time to amalgamate.
Serve one pear half with each portion of the cheesecake, with a little of the vinaigrette spooned over.