By: Mary John Resch
I find that I tend to overlook pears when I’m selecting fruit to eat. However this salad is so good that may no longer be the case for me. When I am fixing the salad just for me I will probably cut the pear into bite sized pieces but whole slices will certainly make a more impressive presentation for company.
SALAD with PEARS, WALNUTS
AND BLEU CHEESE
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 cup olive oil
1 1/2 heads green leaf lettuce, torn into bite sized
pieces
2 large pears, peeled and sliced
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
Mash the garlic and salt in a bowl to form a paste. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and black pepper and whisk well. Add the oil in a fine stream, whisking constantly.
Arrange the lettuce on 6 individual salad plates. Divide the pears, walnuts and bleu cheese equally among the plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. (You may have some vinaigrette left over for another salad.)
Serve immediately.