Pear & Blue Cheese Walnut Salad W/ Pear Vinaigrette

Chicagoland Chef du Jour's Note:

This is a recipe I clipped from a cooking magazine over 20 years ago. I suppose the salad is similar to others posted but the dressing is slightly different. Pear nectar can be found amongst the canned juices at your grocer. Buy a good crumbled blue cheese and feel free to cheat and buy pre-sweetened nuts. Enjoy this refreshing salad. Cook time is sugar coating the nuts.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 salads

• 3 medium pears, semi-firm but ripe, peels on
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salad greens, enough for 8 servings
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup walnuts, candied (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• vinaigrette dressing (recipe below)
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup salad oil
• 1/3 cup pear nectar
• 1 teaspoon dijon-style mustard, sub. grainy brown
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Halve and core the pears. Slice thin, brush with lemon juice to prevent browning. This may be done up to 60 minutes ahead.
2. To arrange the salads: line plates with salad greens.
3. Fan pear slices atop each serving.
4. Sprinkle with some blue cheese and candied nuts.
5. Drizzle with dressing. Serve extra on the side.
6. CANDIED WALNUTS / PECANS.
7. Line a baking sheet with foil. Butter or spray with a nonstick oil.
8. In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, combine: 1 C walnuts, 1/2 C sugar and 2 T butter.
9. Cook until sugar starts to melt, DO NOT stir. Reduce heat to low and cook 'til sugar is golden brown. Stirring occasionally.
10. Remove from heat and pour onto prepared baking sheet. Cool completely. Break into clusters.
11. PEAR NECTAR VINAIGRETTE.
12. In a screw top jar, combine:
13. white wine vinegar, oil, pear nectar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper.
14. Cover and shake well.
15. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.
16. Shake before serving.
17. Makes about 1°C.

Reviews

[DDW]

Great salad! I could not find pear nectar anywhere here (shopping here can be a pain!) so I used the juice from canned pears and seemed to work well, although I'm sure nectar would have been so much better. I enjoy fruit in my salads and will be adding this to my keeper list. Thanks for sharing.

[misscain]

I substituted fried goat cheese rounds for the blue cheese, but I will make again with the blue cheese. Loved it!

[K9 Owned]

We loved this salad! The pear I used could have been a bit more ripe but it tasted great anyway. I see pear nectar all of the time until I need it. Argh. I bought pear juice and reduced 1 1/2 cups down to 1/2 cup in lieu of the nectar and I just love the dressing. Definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
ETA. I made twice the recipe for the candied walnuts. Loving my 'Walnut Brittle' a great bonus to the recipe :)