Pear & sage Halloumi saganaki – a fantastic appetizer of sage-perfumed, butter-caramelized pears, and pan-seared Halloumi cheese, served flambé-style.
I have a great appetizer recipe for you today, which I’m sure you’ll appreciate with the approaching holidays, especially since it’s so ridiculously simple. It requires little to no prep, comes with a wow factor, and tastes like you’ve slaved in the kitchen. We had it for Thanksgiving this year, and it was an instant hit.
Inspired by the famous Greek saganaki dish, it goes like this: caramelize pears in butter, add cheese and cook until it melts, then light the whole thing on fire, and serve to the amazement of your guests.
To make it extra special I infused the butter with a few sage leaves, before caramelizing the pears. Ideally, you want to use very ripe, Bosc pears here, as they are sweeter and less acidic than other varieties. If your pears are not quite ripe yet, you can add a bit of sugar to the butter, and cook them a little longer until they soften. You’ll need a grilling cheese, like Halloumi or Kasseri, which are milder than other saganaki cheeses to complement the sweetness of the fruit better. They are firm enough to retain their shape on the grill, but still form a molten interior, and an irresistible cheesy crust. Finally, you will need a good brandy or dark rum to flambé the dish.
Trust me, this sweet and savory combo of melted grilled cheese, and juicy caramelized pears, perfumed with earthy sage, is utterly delicious and addictive! The whole dish comes together in 15 minutes tops, and will disappear in less than five.
Now, about the fun part – setting the dish on fire: it’s a cool trick to impress your guests, but it’s not just for show-off. The alcohol’s role is to infuse the food with a subtle aroma, while it quickly burns off, and as it does, the flames will simultaneously caramelize the sugars in the food, adding some extra layer of flavor. Rum or brandy pairs especially well here with the sweet fruit.
A few words of caution:
- If you have a gas stove top, play it safe, and turn off the heat first, then pour the alcohol gently, and use a long lighter to set it on fire, keeping your face, hair, and other body parts at a safe distance. Pour the alcohol immediately after you turn off the heat, while the food is still hot, so it will ignite. Once you pour the alcohol, light it immediately so it doesn’t get a chance to soak in the food too long.
- Pour the alcohol in a separate dish, before you drizzle it on top of the food (if you hold the bottle in hand, while lighting up the dish, and it’s too close to the flame, the flame may go inside the bottle, and explode it).
- Use alcohol with 80 to 120 proof, like rum, brandy, cognac or vodka.
- Have a lid ready nearby in case you need to put over the dish, and extinguish the fire.
If you’re feeling nervous, you can totally skip this step, and still get a fantastic-tasting dish.
Need more appetizer ideas? Check out this collection of 50 fabulous holiday appetizers.
Pear & sage Halloumi saganaki - a fantastic appetizer of sage-perfumed, butter-caramelized pears, and pan-seared Halloumi cheese, served flambé-style.
- 300 g Halloumi or Kasseri cheese *
- 3-4 Bosc pears
- 2 Tbs butter
- 10 sage leaves
- 2 Tbs dark rum **
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Cut the pears in half, core, and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. No need to peel.
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Cut the Halloumi cheese into 1/4 inch thick, bite-size slices.
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Melt the butter in a cast iron pan, add the sage leaves, and cook until crispy. Remove the sage and save.
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Add the pears to the pan, and cook until you get a nice caramelization on both sides.
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Push the pears to the side of the pan, and add the cheese without overlapping the pieces. Sear undisturbed, until the cheese gets a nice, golden crust, and a melty interior. Turn off the heat, add the reserved sage leaves back to the pan, and immediately proceed to the next step.
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Position your pan in the center of your serving table. Pour about 2 Tbs of rum into a separate small bowl, and then pour over the dish, while the cheese is still bubbling. Using a long lighter, set the dish on fire, keeping your hands and face away. The flames will die down in 15-30 seconds, as the alcohol burns out.
* Find Halloumi, Kasseri, or other saganaki cheeses like kefalograviera, or kefalotyri at Mediterranean stores. As a last resort, you may try Queso Panela cheese, found in Latin markets.
** You can also substitute brandy, or cognac.
