Pear Walnut Salad with Gorgonzola and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Name: Pear Walnut Salad with Gorgonzola and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¾ cup (85 g) raw walnut halves, left whole or roughly broken by hand; 6 oz (170 g) mixed salad greens (such as baby lettuces, arugula and spinach), washed and thoroughly dried; 2 medium (360 g) ripe but firm pears, quartered, cored, and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; skin left on; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice; 3 oz (85 g) Gorgonzola cheese, cold, crumbled into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar; 2 tsp (10 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tsp (14 g) honey; 1 tbsp (10 g) shallot, very finely minced; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, juicy pear, buttery toasted walnuts and creamy Gorgonzola crumbles sit on tender mixed greens, tied together with a sweet-tart balsamic vinaigrette you whisk in five minutes. It makes an easy starter or light side for roasts, poultry and pork.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 8 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 38 min
Makes: 4 side-salad servings (about 8 cups), plus extra vinaigrette

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad
¾ cup (85 g) raw walnut halves, left whole or roughly broken by hand
6 oz (170 g) mixed salad greens (such as baby lettuces, arugula and spinach), washed and thoroughly dried
2 medium (360 g) ripe but firm pears, quartered, cored, and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; skin left on
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
3 oz (85 g) Gorgonzola cheese, cold, crumbled into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
For the vinaigrette
3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tsp (10 g) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (14 g) honey
1 tbsp (10 g) shallot, very finely minced
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) black pepper, freshly ground
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment (6)

Rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18-inch / 33×46 cm)
Large salad bowl (at least 4-quart / 4 L)
Small bowl or 1-cup (250 ml) jar with lid, for the dressing
Whisk or fork
Chef's knife and cutting board
Salad spinner or clean kitchen towel

Steps

Before you start

Pick pears that are ripe but still firm: they should give slightly at the stem end but not feel soft. Bosc, Anjou or Bartlett all work.
Wash the greens and dry them very well. Wet leaves repel the dressing and turn it watery.
The walnuts need 10 minutes to cool before you assemble the salad, so make the dressing while they cool.
The vinaigrette makes about 9 tablespoons (140 ml), more than the salad needs. You'll use about 4 tablespoons and keep the rest for the table or the fridge.
Slice the pears just before serving. The lemon juice slows browning but doesn't stop it for long.

1
Toast the walnutsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and toasty, and the cut edges look a shade darker golden-brown.
Tip: Walnuts go from toasted to bitter fast. Pull them as soon as you smell them.
2
Cool the walnuts
- Tip the hot walnuts onto a plate in a single layer so they stop cooking.
- Let them cool for 10 minutes.
- Make the vinaigrette during this time.
- If the halves are large, break them into rough ½-inch (1 cm) pieces once cool.
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Ready when: Walnuts are no longer warm to the touch and snap crisply when bitten.
Tip: Don't leave them on the hot baking sheet. The residual heat will keep cooking them.
3
Whisk the vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, stir together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon, honey, shallot, salt and pepper.
- Let it sit for 3 minutes so the salt dissolves and the shallot softens.
- Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream.
- You'll have about 9 tablespoons (140 ml) of vinaigrette, more than the salad needs.
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Ready when: The dressing looks glossy and slightly thickened, with no separate pool of oil.
Tip: You can also shake everything in a lidded jar for 15 seconds.
4
Dry the greens
- Spin the washed greens in a salad spinner, or pat them dry between clean kitchen towels.
- Put them in a large salad bowl, but don't add dressing yet.
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Ready when: Leaves feel dry to the touch with no water beads.
5
Slice the pears
- Quarter the pears lengthwise and cut out the cores.
- Slice each quarter lengthwise into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices.
- Toss gently with the lemon juice in a small bowl to coat all the cut surfaces.
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Ready when: Slices are even in thickness and glisten lightly with lemon juice.
Tip: Slice the pears no more than 20 minutes before serving to keep them bright.
6
Dress the greens
- Re-whisk the vinaigrette, since it may have separated.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons (45 ml), about one-third of the batch, over the greens.
- Toss gently with your hands or tongs for about 20 seconds.
- Keep the remaining vinaigrette in its bowl or jar.
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Ready when: Leaves are lightly and evenly glossy, not pooling or wilted.
Tip: Add more dressing a teaspoon at a time. You can always add it, but you can't take it out.
7
Assemble and serve
- Divide the greens among 4 plates or leave in the bowl.
- Top with the pear slices, cooled walnuts and crumbled Gorgonzola.
- Drizzle about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the remaining vinaigrette over the toppings, and add a little more pepper if you like.
- Serve right away with the rest of the vinaigrette on the table for anyone who wants more, or save it for another salad.
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Ready when: The salad looks bright and crisp, with the cheese and nuts scattered evenly.
Tip: Add the Gorgonzola last. Tossing it through the greens makes it smear and turns the salad cloudy.

Good to know

Tips

Dry greens are the most important step. Dressing clings to dry leaves and slides off wet ones.
Taste a leaf dressed with the vinaigrette before serving. If it tastes too sharp, whisk in ½ teaspoon honey. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt.
Cold Gorgonzola crumbles cleanly. Warm cheese turns pasty, so keep it in the fridge until you assemble.
For a heartier main-course salad, add sliced grilled chicken or a few slices of crisp prosciutto.

Make ahead

Toast the walnuts up to 3 days ahead and store them airtight at room temperature. Make the vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate it in a jar. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and shake well before using. Wash and dry the greens up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them in a container lined with a paper towel. Slice the pears, dress and assemble just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Undressed components keep separately in the fridge for 1 day (greens, pears) to 5 days (vinaigrette). Leftover vinaigrette keeps in a jar in the fridge for 5 days; shake well before using. A fully dressed salad will wilt within an hour or two and doesn't keep well. Leftover Gorgonzola keeps wrapped in the fridge for 1 week. Toasted walnuts keep airtight at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. The salad itself shouldn't be frozen, so there is nothing to reheat.

Substitutions

Gorgonzola cheese → blue cheese, crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan. Goat cheese is milder and creamier. Parmesan gives a salty, nutty bite without the blue flavor.
raw walnut halves → pecans or hazelnuts. Toast for the same time. Rub hazelnuts in a towel after toasting to remove skins if you like.
ripe but firm pears → crisp apples such as Honeycrisp or Fuji. Slice the same way. Apples are a little more tart, so you may want a touch more honey.
honey → maple syrup. Use the same amount. It keeps the dressing sweet and works for a vegan version if you also skip the cheese.