Roasted Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
If you haven’t tried the combo of blue cheese and pear before you owe it to yourself to make this salad, which will be in season for months to come.
Ingredients
- 1 Pear, a firm pear, not over ripe
- Salad greens for two, a mild green like baby romaine works well
- Vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar and mustard)
- 3-4 oz (85-115 g) blue cheese like Gorgonzola or Bleu d'Avergne
- Optional: pomegranate arils, walnuts, bacon or pancetta bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350C
- Slice the pear in half and scoop out the seeds and core, leaving a half circle. Taking half of the cheese, press the cheese into the pear, keeping the cheese within the confines of the scooped out area. Roast the pear until the cheese is melty and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile wash your salad greens. I don’t care if the bag says triple washed; wash the greens anyway.
- Make your vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar and 1 tsp of grained mustard.
- Prepare your optionals: toast the walnuts, fry the bacon or pancetta, separate the arils from the pomegranate.
- When the pear is ready, toss the salad with vinaigrette, add your accoutrements (that would be the walnuts etc.), open a bottle of wine, put on a good movie on and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Roasted Lemon and Cherry Tomato Salad
- Farro Arugula Salad with Roasted Asparagus and Burrata
- Celery and Parmesan Salad
- Mango, Mint, and Pea Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of pear works best for this salad?
The ingredient list specifies “a firm pear, not over ripe.” A firm pear holds its shape during the 15-minute roast and won’t turn to mush when the blue cheese melts into the scooped-out cavity.
Which blue cheese does the recipe recommend?
The ingredients list Gorgonzola or Bleu d’Auvergne as the suggested options, using 3–4 oz (85–115 g). Both are creamy, relatively mild blues that melt well into the scooped-out pear cavity.
What optional add-ins does the recipe suggest?
The recipe lists pomegranate arils, walnuts, and bacon or pancetta bits as optional add-ins. The instructions say to toast the walnuts, fry the bacon or pancetta, and separate the pomegranate arils before tossing everything with a 3:1 olive oil-to-vinegar vinaigrette made with 1 tsp of grainy mustard. 
