Pear and blue cheese salad

Hi everyone, today it’s salad time!

This morning I woke up with the idea of ​​eating something fresh and light.

I thought of this Pear and blue cheese salad that despite being very simple is delicious, the freshness of the pear contrasts with the strong flavor of the blue cheese, the pecans add a crunchy touch and the vinaigrette has just the right acidity to tie the whole thing together.

The sun is shining, the sea is very blue and the mountains look very green, the colors of nature inspire me and I want to transfer them to the plate.

I went out for a walk, to breathe, and I assure you that nothing is more pleasant than feeling the fresh morning breeze.

You may be wondering why I place so much value on something so simple and so everyday.

The answer is that for years I spent my mornings locked in an office, sitting in front of the computer.

The furthest I could go was to the water or coffee machine. It was then that I realized how much I missed being outdoors, letting the sun’s rays hit me directly, feeling the breeze, and listening to nature.

Now my job allows it, and I don’t plan on giving it up.

 

Apply the “less is more” rule when preparing a salad, the result will be better, I assure you.

 

The world of salads fascinates me, from the simplest to the most complex, a salad is always a balanced way of combining good ingredients to form an even better whole, it can be made with vegetables, fruits or a combination of all of them.

You can also add meats, seafood, fish, nuts, cheeses, eggs, legumes, almost anything can be part of a salad, the trick is knowing how to combine the ingredients and not overdo it, we don’t want an impossible mix of flavors, generally the rule “less is more” works very well in this type of dishes, so never forget it.

Salads can be cold or warm, I would dare to say they can even be hot, because… What is a stew? It’s nothing more than a salad of vegetables, but hot.

When designing a salad, not only the flavors are taken into account, people also tend to play with the textures, adding crunchy ingredients such as croutons or strips of crispy bacon, sometimes even caramelized nuts or fried corn, the possibilities are endless.

 

 

The Pear and ble cheese salad that I propose to you today is one of those combinations that form a whole, which in my opinion, improves the flavor of each of the ingredients that make it up separately and if you add the right dressing to that you get an ideal mix.

 

Try to consume each product when it is in season, you will benefit from its best qualities

 

For this salad I have used conference pear, Roquefort cheese and pecan nuts, these three ingredients on a rocket base only need a good dressing and are enough to make a tasty dish, let’s learn a little more about each of them.

During autumn and winter we can enjoy the pears season, it is a fruit with white and juicy flesh, you have to know when it is at its point of ripeness, if it is green we will not be able to appreciate its texture and flavor. The pear is usually eaten as a dessert, but it is also used to make compotes and even ciders. An excellent way to eat it is by adding it to a salad as I suggest.

Health benefits of the pear:

• Low in calories, only 53 calories per 100 gr.
• Contains vitamins: B1, B2 and B3. Also vitamins A and C.
• It contains folic acid.
• It is rich in minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and potassium.
• It contains fiber and also has astringent properties.

The pear and blue cheese salad is refreshing, but at the same time the remarkable flavor of this type of cheese makes it a special dish

 

The Roquefort cheese is a French blue cheese, made with sheep’s milk:

• Similar to blue cheese made in other geographical areas, but its price is higher due to its designation of origin.
• Usually eaten as an aperitif, accompanied by grapes, carrots, celery, with toasted bread or crackers.
• It is also used to prepare Roquefort sauce, which is traditionally prepared with cream, or it can be added to salads, as I have done in this case.

 

Benefits of Roquefort cheese (similar to other blue cheeses):

• It provides approximately 370 Kcal per 100 gr.
• Rich in B vitamins
• Contains vitamins A and K.
• Rich in calcium and sodium.
• High in protein and fat, low in carbohydrates.

Pecans add to the salad a crunchy and delicious touch 

 

Pecan nuts come from the USA, the pecan tree which is native to the deltas of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

Its flavor is sweet and pleasant without producing the astringent sensation at the end as it happens with the common walnut.

They can be consumed naturally, toasted or even caramelized, they are an excellent snack, but they are also used in desserts such as the famous Pecan Pie, or they can be added to salads and other dishes.

Benefits of pecans:

• It provides quite a few calories, approximately 700 Kcal per 100 gr.
• And it contains 70 gr of fat per 100 gr.
• Rich in minerals: Calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
• Contains vitamins A and C.
• It also contains iron.
• And fatty acids healthy.

 

A salad is an open dish, it allows for multiple variations. Combine the ingredients to your liking.

 

 

Why I like this Pear and blue cheese salad so much:

• Because I love cheese, especially one with an intense flavor.
• It is easy to prepare, it is a recipe with few ingredients and the result is Excellent.
• It’s a good “on-the-go” option. You can bring your own dressing separately.
• This combination of ingredients provides many B vitamins.

 

Recipe summary:

Preparing this Pear and blue cheese salad is very easy. Just place the arugula, Roquefort cheese, diced pear, and natural pecans in a bowl or plate.

Dress with an olive oil and sherry vinegar vinaigrette and season with flaked sea salt. You can add pepper or toast the walnuts, if you want an extra flavor and texture, caramelize them.

This salad works very well as a first course, to do this, present it in individual portions.

It would be also perfect as a starter before a main course such as my salmon crumble, or any meat dish.

 

 

I hope you add this Pear and blue cheese salad to your own recipe book and tell me if you like it.

Don’t forget to get the recipe below. Cheers! 😉