Family friendly

Dried pear, prosciutto, blue cheese and walnut salad

Name: Dried pear, prosciutto, blue cheese and walnut salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 200g dried pears; 1 1/2 cups (375ml) verjuice; Pared zest and juice of 1 lemon; 2 fresh bay leaves; 6 whole black peppercorns; 1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil; Mixed seasonal bitter green leaves (such as radicchio, rocket, witlof, sorrel); 12 slices prosciutto, rind removed; 1/2 cup roasted walnuts, skins rubbed off; Mixed fresh herbs (such as chives with flowers attached, parsley, chervil); 160g mild blue cheese, chopped

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Dried pear, prosciutto, blue cheese and walnut salad

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by Maggie Beer

Cook, national treasure and delicious. Produce Awards judge

Oct 03, 2015

Maggie Beer's rustic country salad is packed with yummy ingredients - fresh rocket, salty cheese and silky prosciutto.

200g dried pears
1 1/2 cups (375ml) verjuice
Pared zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 fresh bay leaves
6 whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
Mixed seasonal bitter green leaves (such as radicchio, rocket, witlof, sorrel)
12 slices prosciutto, rind removed
1/2 cup roasted walnuts, skins rubbed off
Mixed fresh herbs (such as chives with flowers attached, parsley, chervil)
160g mild blue cheese, chopped

Method

1.

In a heavy-based saucepan, cover the pears with verjuice and add the lemon zest, bay leaves and peppercorns. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Set aside and leave pears to cool in the poaching liquid.
2.

When pears are cool, take out of liquid and dry, reserving a little liquid for the vinaigrette (the extra liquid can be chilled, frozen and used again). Quickly grill or pan-fry the pear halves in a dry, heavy-based frypan over a high heat to caramelise the edges.
3.

Make a vinaigrette with a little of the verjuice poaching liquid, plus lemon juice, sea salt and ground pepper, then add the extra virgin olive oil. Make a salad with the seasonal mixed leaves, prosciutto, roasted walnuts, mixed herbs, and blue cheese. To serve, toss with vinaigrette.