This is the kind of fancy salad that you usually only find in a restaurant, but you can make very easily at home. Sour and sweet, crunchy and tender, this is my kind of Winter salad! Try it at your next dinner party or just for you, because why not?
The original formula for this salad came from Bon Appetit. I thought the dressing needed a little sweet to go with the sour, so I added maple syrup. And pear and blue cheese is one of those heavenly combos, so a nice raw milk buttermilk blue got added as well. You could use whatever blue cheese you like as long as it has a nice strong flavor.
Pear, Arugula & Endive Salad with Candied Walnuts and Blue Cheese
Adapted from a recipe from Bon Appetit
Makes 4 servings
- 1 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 6 cups arugula, torn into pieces (about 6 ounces)
- 2 heads Belgian endive, trimmed, leaves separated
- 1 firm but ripe pear, halved, cored & thinly sliced
- Candied Walnuts
- 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk until well blended. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss arugula in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide arugula among 10 plates. Arrange endive leaves and pear slices atop arugula on each. Drizzle with more dressing. Sprinkle with Candied Walnuts and crumbled blue cheese.