Roasted Pear and Blue Cheese Salad Recipe
This French-style salad combines warm roasted pears with bold blue cheese, walnuts and mixed salad leaves. It’s a typical small bistro dish that loves contrasts: sweet with salty, warm with cold. Perfect as an elegant starter for dinner with friends or a light main course served with a baguette.
Tego typu sałatki z pieczonymi owocami, serem pleśniowym i orzechami są popularne we francuskich bistro, szczególnie jesienią i zimą, kiedy świeże owoce są naturalnie słodsze. To klasyczny przykład francuskiego podejścia do kuchni: proste składniki, ale przemyślane kontrasty temperatur, tekstur i smaków.
Warm roasted pears paired with salty blue cheese and crunchy walnuts create a classic French bistro contrast of textures and flavors in a dish that’s quick to prepare but looks restaurant-worthy.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Pieczone z masłem i miodem gruszki mają karmelowy smak i nie wysychają w piekarniku.
- Dodanie sosu dopiero na końcu utrzymuje liście sprężyste i „restauracyjny” wygląd.
- Ciepłe owoce i chłodna sałata tworzą wyraźny kontrast temperatur, który robi wrażenie.
Chef's tips
Don’t overbake the pears – they should be soft but still hold their shape. Dry the salad leaves very thoroughly so the dressing clings nicely and doesn’t slide off with excess water.
How to serve
Serve on chilled plates to highlight the warm–cold contrast, with a warm baguette or rustic bread on the side. A dry white wine or light sparkling wine pairs especially well.
Na co uważać
- Nie przepiecz gruszek – jeśli przy nacisku widelcem rozpadają się na mus, wyjmij je wcześniej następnym razem.
- Nie polewaj sałaty sosem z wyprzedzeniem; już po 10 minutach liście zaczynają wiotczeć i tracą objętość.
Zamienniki
- Zamiast sera typu bleu użyj roqueforta, gorgonzoli dolce lub innego niebieskiego sera o umiarkowanej ostrości.
- Orzechy włoskie możesz zastąpić orzechami pekan lub laskowymi, zawsze krótko je podprażając dla aromatu.
- Jeśli nie masz octu balsamicznego, użyj czerwonego octu winnego i dodaj odrobinę więcej miodu dla równowagi.
Ingredients
- pear ripe but firm - 2 piece
- blue cheese e.g. Roquefort, Gorgonzola - 60 g
- mixed salad leaves e.g. arugula, lamb’s lettuce, butterhead lettuce - 60 g
- walnuts roughly chopped - 25 g
- honey - 1 tablespoon
- butter for roasting the pears - 10 g
- balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil - 2 tablespoon
- Dijon mustard - 0.5 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Wash the pears, cut them in half and remove the cores. If the pears are large, you can cut each half into 2–3 wedges.
- Place the pear pieces on the tray, skin side down. Brush them with melted butter mixed with half of the honey (1/2 tablespoon), using a pastry brush or teaspoon.
- Put the pears into the preheated oven and bake for about 15–20 minutes, until they soften and are lightly browned at the edges. Halfway through baking you can gently turn them so they roast evenly.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until they become fragrant and lightly browned, then set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl make the dressing: mix the balsamic vinegar, the remaining half of the honey, Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk vigorously with a fork for about 30 seconds, until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Rinse the salad leaves and dry very well so the dressing doesn’t get watered down. Arrange the salad on two plates.
- Place the still-warm roasted pear pieces on the salad, sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and the toasted walnuts.
- Just before serving, drizzle everything with the balsamic-honey dressing. Serve immediately while the pears are still slightly warm.
Storage
Store the salad components separately: roasted pears and dressing in the fridge, salad leaves washed and well dried. Assemble just before serving so the leaves stay crisp.
This salad always reminds me of small Parisian bistros, where a simple pear and cheese combination can turn into something special with just a good dressing and a handful of nuts.
