Recipe: Pear and Gorgonzola Soup

After our two night stay in Johannesburg at the Saxon, we took off for a safari.  During our time at the Earth Lodge in Sabi Sabi, we tasted gourmet cuisine everyday.  We tried the chef's Pear and Gorgonzola Soup on our first night dining under the stars of a boma.  The importance to flavor success in this recipe is very ripe pears and a creamy, best quality Gorgonzola Cheese.

Ingredients:

4 large, ripe pears

2 Onions

2 leeks

1 clove fresh Garlic

1 cup vegetable stock

2 tablespoons chopped sage

1 tablespoon picked lemon thyme leaves

250 g good quality Gorgonzola cheese

Milk or cream to taste

Salt and pepper

Method:

Prepare all the vegetables and fruit by peeling and roughly chopping into small pieces.

In a little butter, sauté the leeks, onions and Garlic until tender and beginning to caramelize. 

Add the pears and sauté them for a few minutes.

Add the stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the pears are tender.

Remove from the heat and add the herbs and cheese. Blend the mixture until it is smooth.

Strain through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper and add the milk/cream to taste.

Serve the soup with a thin slice of pear topped with some crumbled cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve has four luxury lodges near Kruger Park in South Africa: Earth Lodge, Selati Camp, Bush Lodge and Little Bush Camp.