Crostini with Blue Cheese Butter Spread and Sliced Pears

Ryan and I both really liked this. The butter spread has a great blue chese flavor but what I really liked about it is that you not only taste the blue cheese you taste the nuts and the lemon as well, individually. I like when you can taste everything individually yet haromoniously and nothing gets lost. And the addition of the thinly sliced pears, by yours truly, really makes for a nice contrast. The key however, is to slice the pears thinly.

But the best part of this recipe is the butter can be made the night before and this appetizer can be thrown together in no time. You can also freeze the butter for later use then it's ready to go for unexpected guest or if you are in the mood for a "fancy", fast snack.

Crostini with Blue Cheese Butter Spread and Sliced Pears
Courtesy of Emeril Live

4 ounces blue cheese, softened (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (For some reason I misread this and did 1 tspn of lemon zest, still good)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt Ground black pepper (I didn't add any salt but I did add pepper)
1 loaf French bread, cut into thin rounds, accompaniment
1 Ripe pear thinly sliced.

In a bowl, cream together all the ingredients, except for bread and pears. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place mixture on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a fat cylinder and roll up in the plastic wrap, pushing and tucking in as you go to form a tight log. Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread blue cheese butter evenly onto the French bread rounds. Then top each round with 1 or 2 slices of the thinly sliced pears, depending on how big your rounds are. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!