A pear and blue cheese salad is a classic autumn salad, this makes a perfect side dish, featuring seared pears, rocket (arugula) & walnuts.
Pear and Stilton Salad
Pears and blue cheese are an absolute genius paring, they just work!
In fact pear and cheese works in so many ways, I have a great deep fried Camembert recipe that I serve with caramelised pears too!
I have used the combination before in my baked pear with blue cheese recipe.
This salad embraces similar flavours but lightens up the whole feel of that dish.
This makes it a perfect side salad.
We have the earthy, sour and bold flavour of the cheese, this is joined by the sweetness of caramelised pears.
The dressing is a simple red wine vinegar and honey dressing that helps the flavours melt together.
Adding walnuts and peppery rocket, which is arugula for my US-based readers, rounds out this oh-so-simple yet sophisticated side dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of blue cheese should I use?
Stilton and pear is a classic combination. Stilton is a big and bold cheese that perfectly compliments the juicy sweet acidity of pears.
It can, however, be difficult (and expensive) to get your hands on if you are not in the UK.
In that instance, I would try and make this a pear and Roquefort salad.
It is slightly more acidic than Stilton cheese and as a result, I would be inclined to reduce the red wine vinegar in the dressing by a quarter.
Gorgonzola cheese would also make a perfectly good substitution with no deed to reduce the vinegar.
Can I make this in advance?
Not really, it is very much best served as a warm salad. However, it is a very simple dish to make and comes together in around 20 minutes.
Can I use other types of nuts?
Yes, this dish works wonderfully with both hazelnuts (cob nuts) and pecan nuts.
Serving Suggestions
This glorious pear and blue cheese salad is the perfect accompaniment to pork.
It is stunning served alongside anything from this slow roasted pork belly or perfectly cooked rump steak to this pork chop with blackberry sauce.
If you are looking to impress without working too hard then you should try it with this bacon wrapped pork tenderloin.
It can also be served as a light lunch salad, it works wonderfully with some croutons made from soda bread.
Simply toss them around in the pan to toast them in the butter after you have finished caramelising the pears!
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan or skillet.
- Mixing bowl.
- A jar to mix the dressing. You could also use a mixing bowl and whisk but I find that a jar gets a better emulsion in less time.
- Spatula.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
Pear and Blue Cheese Salad Recipe with Walnuts and Rocket
This simple pear and blue cheese salad features a light red vinegar dressing, peppery rocket (arugula) and butter seared pears. This is the PERFECT fall or autumn side salad.
Ingredients
- 100g (1 Cup) Blue Cheese
- 50g (2 Cups) Rocket aka Arugula
- 50g (½ Cup) Walnuts
- 1 Pear
- 30g (2 Tbsp) Butter
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Add the oil, vinegar, honey and salt into a jar add a lid and shake.
- Heat a dry 28cm or 12" frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat.
- Gently toast the walnuts taking care not to burn.
- Remove the walnuts and set aside and return the pan to a high heat.
- Peel and cut the pear in half, then remove the core and slice into 8 wedges.
- Place the butter in the pan and when it foams add the pear slices and sear on both sides.
- Build the salad by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and mixing through the dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 655Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 963mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 15g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.