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Pear & Stilton Salad with Port Dressing & Toasted Walnuts
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Description:
Indulge in the perfect harmony of flavors with this Pear & Stilton Salad, elevated by a luscious Port Dressing and crunchy Toasted Walnuts. This recipe is a delightful blend of sweet, savory, and nutty goodness, making it an ideal appetizer or light meal option.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups port wine
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons Stilton cheese, crumbled
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions:
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Toast Walnuts: Begin by toasting the walnuts in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until they turn lightly golden and fragrant. Once toasted, set them aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad components.
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Reduce Port Wine: In the same saucepan used for toasting the walnuts, pour in the port wine. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until it’s reduced by half its volume. This process will intensify the flavors and create a rich, syrupy consistency. Once reduced, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
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Prepare Salad Base: On each of the 4 plates, distribute 1 1/2 cups of mixed greens, creating a vibrant bed for the remaining ingredients.
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Arrange Pear Slices: Arrange the thinly sliced pears over the bed of mixed greens, evenly distributing them among the plates.
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Sprinkle Stilton Cheese: Crumble 1 1/2 tablespoons of Stilton cheese over each salad, ensuring a generous sprinkling of this creamy and tangy cheese in every bite.
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Create Dressing: In a blender, combine the reduced port wine, finely chopped shallots, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar. Blend the ingredients until you achieve a smooth and velvety dressing, infused with the rich flavors of the port wine reduction and aromatic shallots.
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Assemble Salad: Drizzle the prepared Port Dressing over each salad, allowing it to cascade over the ripe pears, vibrant greens, and crumbled Stilton cheese, creating a symphony of flavors and textures.
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Top with Toasted Walnuts: Finish off each salad by sprinkling the toasted walnuts over the top, adding a delightful crunch and nuttiness to complement the other elements.
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Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately and savor the delightful combination of sweet pears, savory Stilton cheese, and rich Port Dressing, perfectly balanced by the earthy crunch of toasted walnuts. This Pear & Stilton Salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering or as a light and refreshing meal option.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 366.5
- Fat Content: 13.5g
- Saturated Fat Content: 3.3g
- Cholesterol Content: 9.5mg
- Sodium Content: 231.7mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 35.7g
- Fiber Content: 4.7g
- Sugar Content: 19.8g
- Protein Content: 6g
So go ahead, treat yourself and your loved ones to this exquisite Pear & Stilton Salad, and let the flavors transport you to a realm of culinary bliss! πβ¨