A savory, cheese course ready take on cheesecake

The goal liberate cheesecake from the dessert course. And it was easier than we thought.

While rich, creamy cheesecake is a fine way to end the meal, we didn't think it had to be sweet to do so.

We wanted a savory cheesecake, one that could finish the meal as a cheese course.

And so we cut the sugar and substituted blue cheese for part of the cream cheese.

And since blue cheese pairs so nicely with fruit, we added a topping of pears poached in red wine and balsamic vinegar.

A black-pepper walnut crust accentuates the play on sweet and savory.

The combination is breathtakingly rich and satisfying, as well as visually stunning. It is the perfect way to end a holiday meal.

But note this cheesecake is exceptionally rich. Serve it in small slivers.

Both the cheesecake and pears also hold well and can be prepared a day or two ahead.

The pears can be served warm, room temperature or chilled. To reheat the pears, simply place them and the syrup in a large saute pan and heat over low.