“BE MODERATE IN ORDER TO TASTE THE JOYS OF LIFE IN ABUNDANCE.” Epicurus
HEY! Who put the salad on my dessert blog?!?
I like to cook. I love to eat. But my PASSION is for desserts! Sometimes I wonder if, because I write a dessert blog, people assume I’m eating desserts for breakfast, lunch and dinner! (Ok ok….I won’t lie. I DO like a little sweet something with my coffee in the morning!) But I do otherwise eat well. And I particularly love that fine balance of sweet and savory. And this little salad, which I had for lunch today, was just that. Again, the pear is perfect here because it is not an overly sweet fruit. But add the contrasts of tangy and chewy cranberries, crunchy bacon bits, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnut pieces, fresh greens in a citrus vinaigrette, and all of this drizzled with honey…..and you cannot imagine what a salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy, savory sensation this was! Oddly….or maybe not….my favorite flavor combination here was the little chunks of blue cheese drizzled in honey! Lots of room for variation here, too. But this is how it all went down for me…….
………this recipe serves 4.
SALAD:
4 danjou pears
2 cups mixed greens
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 TBSP dried cranberries
2 TBSP toasted, chopped walnuts
2 oz crumbled gorgonzola
VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and set aside. Toss the greens with the cranberries, walnuts, blue cheese and bacon bits. Slice just enough of the bottom of the pears to allow them to stand without wobbling. Core the pears and slice them into 4 horizontal slices. Toss your greens with your vinaigrette. Reassemble the pears with the salad in between. Drizzle with honey (be sure to get some on your blue cheese!) and serve.
Enjoy!
Very interesting and unusual salad, definitely looks bright and very appetising. This comes under the sweet/dessert or savoury category?:)
I put this under savory sweet. The fruits are sweet, the cheese is savory. But I don’t think I’d eat this for dessert!
Oh…..and these are for Ann at Cooking Healthy for Me!!! ;- )
Holy yum! That sounds so good. I’m loving the pear/cheese combo. Throw in some bacon and I’d be snarfing that healthy lunch down like it was a cream pie! Buzzed
Thanks Carsley! This is good….but ….ummm….Cream Pie!!! ;- }
Your stacks look so good, Anne! I love the idea of the pear and gorgonzola. I’m sure it’s fabulous!
Thanks Stephanie! A nice fall salad! : )
A work of art! And by the way… these days… this could even be a dessert!
Thanks Tif! And you are right….I could very easily tweak this into a dessert! : )
It looks beautiful! And it sounds yummy too!
Thanks Sheri! : )
This is gorgeous! And looks delish. I love pear and gorg. Sweet and savory yes please. Buzzed and saved!
Thanks Michelle! I am a huge fan of all things sweet and savory!
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! I just KNEW this would be my favorite! I like the balance of flavors you have here and your presentation is nothing short of stellar! Seriously, Anne, this is amazing!
Awww Ann! Thanks so much! I was really hoping you would like them! : )
File this under Fantastic and one of the most creative treats I’ve seen in like forever! Wish I could buzz you more than once.
Thanks Sandra….you are so sweet! : )
It looks beautiful! Yum!
Thanks Christine!
Love the salad tower and the combination of flavours is just irresistible!
Thanks Angie! : )
O M G… this is unreal. I love this so much. The picture is just breath taking. Wonderful recipe, great pics. Love it.
Thanks Kim! I had a good lunch that day!
I never thought of a stackable salad but that looks very elegant.
Thank you Tamar! First time I stacked a salad….but I’m glad it worked out! : )
Just gorgeous. I love the photos and the combination of ingredients. Delicious!!
Oh thanks so much Erin! It was a pretty tasty combo! : )
Anne, this is absolutely beautiful! The photo is incredible and I love all the flavours. I’d probably be inclined to ignore all the sweets on the dessert trolley and head straight for this!
As usual you have picked a wonderful quote to accompany the dish!
Hester…thanks so much for all of your kind comments! However…I CANNOT ignore the dessert trolley! ;- ) I always enjoy your blog, Hester and I think you are wonderful!
Love how it’s the whole pear, sliced like that! Gorgeous!
Thanks Carolyn! I’d much rather eat a pear stuffed with stuff than a pear alone…and this was stuffed with good stuff! ;- )
Art and food at the same time,photography are gorgeous,recipe is great,YUM,,,i love pear i will save this recipe
Thanks Ridwan….I think it was a lucky photo! ;- )
Absolutely OUTstaning. I just love this salad Anne and your photography is breathtaking. It’s hard to imagine a better combination than fruit and blue cheese and when you add nuts and… crispy bacon? Wow. I dare say it approaches divinity
Love that you added the top of the pear in the last photo… so creative!
Kelly…thank you so much! I love blue cheese so much…and it just seemed to fit with the pear! I got lucky with the photos….actually…they reminded me of christmas trees! : )
How pretty! I love these.
Thanks briarrose! : )
Oh my! I LOVE the presentation of this, all stacked up! Beautiful!
Thanks Jill! It was a bit of a balancing act….but it finally worked out! : )
Wow Ann! That is one great salad – and the pictures are stunning! I love all the different flavors in this!
Thanks Erin…a good combination of fall flavors! : )
Nothing wrong with a salad on a dessert blog! I like variety, Anne!
This sounds so delicious. Pear just seems to go so well with Gorgonzola and pecans. I love fruit in my salads!
Thanks Cassie…I’m with you! Sometimes you have to mix it up a little bit!
I just had a salad very similar to this at this upscale steak restaurant in Jacksonville called III Forks, and it was one of the best salads I have ever eaten. You’re right – the perfect combination between the textures and the flavors. Gorgeous presentation Anne!
Thanks Jen! This salad definitely has a little bit of everything in it!
Whoa, that’s gorgeous!
Thank you so much!!!
An Epicurean Feast! Nicely done!
Why thank you Michael….xoxo
Your lunch looks fantastic and much better than what I have that’s for sure. I am pretty lucky if I eat a yogurt or something, but usually find myself just finishing what Henry hasn’t eating which doesn’t lend itself to being a full meal or healthy lol. I love everything you put on the salad, maybe I need to figure out how to make that happen in my home.
Susie…my lunch is usually a yogurt, a piece of fruit, and a granola bar! But I happened to have the afternoon off and decided to treat myself right! When my guys were younger….my meals were always just what was leftover from their plates, too! And now they would complain that I ruined the pear with ‘all that stuff’! Can’t win…LOL!
What a WOW-factor! Looks easy to do, too.
Thanks Colette! And you are right….a big wow factor for the simplicity of it! But really delicious!
Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but it sounds delicious. What a great mix of tasty ingredients!
MJ….thank you so much! Hope you will try these! : )
Anne!!!! Yay!!!! Foodbuzz Top 9…#1 post today!!! When you get on there you get on there. : ) This salad looks amazing. I love the balance of flavors. Sweet and savory make the best food combinations in my opinion. Well deserved kudos my friend…. Take a bow. : )
Ramona! Thanks so much! I’m pretty astonished, actually! AND in GREAT company! But I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for buzzing me there! I’m so happy to be a part of this wonderful community! : )
I use these ingredients in salads all the time, but your presentation is amazing and will shamelessly steal it!
This looks like it would make a great appetizer! Yum!
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Looks like an amazing fall dinner party treat!
YEAH Anne!!! Congratulations on top 9!
I had a feeling this beautiful post would make it, Congratulations Anne!
Congrats on Foodbuzz top 9.
What a beautiful presentation. I love all of the ingredients in this, but the honey and bacon were a surprise twist. Brilliant. Well done and congratulations of the Top 9!
Hi Anne! Congrats on making Foodbuzz top 9 today! That is a gorgeous picture of a gorgeous salad! So perfect for fall and I love how it’s sweet and savory!
Absolutely fabulous !!! congratulation on the top 9. love it !
Anne, this is nothing short of stunningly spectacular. I’ve had pears and gorgonzola before but this is on a level of its own. And as I’m writing, see you made top9? Fantastic!
Dear Anne,
Thank you for your lovely note!
Hubby + Little A + Me + Happiness! We’re having such a wonderful
time getting back to being together
This salad looks G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! The presentation, the colours,
the pairings, the flavours – all of it….Mmmmm….
Congrats on top 9!
xo Emily
Wow! This is just so, so gorgeous! And a delicious salad to boot! Nice work
Beautiful presentation, photo and an inspiring idea for a salad! Kudos. :>)
I just wanted to give thanks for the many wonderful comments, congrats and of course….for the buzz! I really felt the buzz…..and so happy to be in such great company in such an awesome community! My heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you! xoxo