Pear Salad

This pear salad is truly delicious and so simple to make; all the ingredients can be bought at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

Ingredients:

2 Pears (makes eight portions)- (I like D'Anjou, but any will work)

Candied pecans (4 pecans per plate or person) or buy at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods

1 bag baby arugula

6 each Belgian endive (I prefer white, but the red is also good)

Mustard vinaigrette (recipe below), or use oil-and-vinegar base, not balsamic or mayonnaise-based.

Blue cheese (I like Pt. Reyes or Roquefort, but any type will do)

Mustard Vinaigrette

Equipment Needed:

Bowl, Whisk, and a Damp towel to place the bowl on so it does not move around when whisking

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup Olive oil

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Honey or maple syrup

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1.   Place 2 Tablespoons of mustard in a mixing bowl (set on a damp towel to keep it in place).

2.   Whisk the mustard, then slowly pour in oil; if you go too fast, the mixture will break and you will have to start over in another bowl. Add the mustard again, and then incorporate the broken dressing.

3.   Once the dressing is thick and smooth, add the vinegar to taste, again whisk in slowly or in will break.

4.   Next, incorporate the sweetener, salt, and pepper.

Assembly / Finishing

There are a few ways to serve this salad; the picture above is an individual presentation, but you can also cut and toss everything together and/or make a beautiful platter for the table.