Pear, blue cheese and walnut salad on arugula
An autumn salad built on four tastes: sweet pear, salty sharp blue cheese, bitter arugula and toasted walnuts, pulled together by a honey-mustard vinaigrette. It looks like a restaurant plate and takes a quarter of an hour — only the walnuts see a pan. A starter before dinner, or a light supper with toast.
Your own work in that: 15 min.
- Walnuts 5 min
- Vinaigrette 3 min
- Plating 7 min
Step by step
0 / 5 doneToast the walnuts
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat 4–5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned. Tip onto a plate so they don't keep cooking in the hot pan. Toasting turns dull walnuts crisp and aromatic.
Ingredients: 100 g arugula · 2 pcs pears · 100 g blue cheese · 50 g walnuts · ½ pcs lemon, juice
Four minutes, until fragrantMake the vinaigrette
In a small jar combine the oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper; close and shake 20 seconds until the dressing thickens and turns cloudy. The mustard binds oil and vinegar into an emulsion; the honey balances the vinegar and the cheese.
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil · 1 tbsp cider vinegar · 1 tsp honey · 1 tsp mustard · 1 pinch salt · ¼ tsp black pepper
TipThe vinaigrette ratio to remember: 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, plus a teaspoon of mustard. Everything else is extras.
Three oil, one vinegar, mustard, honeySlice the pears just before serving
Quarter the pears, cut out the cores and slice into thin wedges. Splash with lemon juice so they don't brown. Don't peel: the skin gives colour and holds the shape.
Thin wedges, lemon at onceArrange on plates
Spread the arugula on four plates, fan the pear over it. Crumble the blue cheese with your fingers into uneven pieces and scatter with the walnuts. Don't toss: a composed salad tastes the same as a tossed one and looks far more striking.
Arugula, pear, cheese from the fingers, walnutsDress and serve
Just before serving, drizzle with the vinaigrette, a spoon per plate. Arugula wilts under dressing within a quarter of an hour, so the dressing always goes last. With a slice of toasted sourdough.
Dressing last, toast beside
Before you start
With grilled pear
Pear wedges 2 minutes a side in a griddle pan: caramelised and warm, a contrast to the cold cheese.
With goat's cheese
100 g soft goat's cheese in slices and a spoon of dried cranberries instead of the blue cheese: milder, for those who don't like blue.
For a party
Prepare everything ahead separately: walnuts, dressing, cheese. Slice the pears and plate only when the guests are there; 5 minutes.
