Grilled Pears with Honey-Whipped Greek Yogurt

Serves 4

1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup blanched whole almonds

4 ripe D'Anjou or Bosc pears

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Using a blender, food processor or mixer, whip the yogurt, honey and vanilla until it is creamy, smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.

2. Heat the oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet; bake until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Keep your eye on them to make sure they don't burn.

3. Heat the panini press to high. Halve each pear lengthwise; remove the core. Brush with melted butter on the cut sides.

4. In batches, place the pear halves, cut sides down, on the grill and close the lid so it rests gently on top of the pears. Grill until dark grill marks appear and you can smell the aroma of burned caramel, about 3 minutes.

5. Transfer the pear halves, cut sides up, to individual bowls or martini glasses. Top with a few dollops of the honey-whipped yogurt, sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with honey.

-- Kathy Strahs, "The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook" (Harvard Common Press, $19.95, 342 pages)