Pears have long been popular in Italy and you will often see simple poached pears for dessert, or rich pear tarts – perhaps eaten with ice cream. Italian pears are deliciously juicy and in season, you’ll see plenty on sale in Italian markets – the best place to buy them. According to the Oxford Companion to Italian Food, Cosimo 111 of Tuscany loved pears so much that he had a huge painting made that showed every type of pear that grew in his lands: there were 115 of them, in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately you won’t such a variety on offer today. You test a pear for ripeness by pressing gently on the top, where the stalk protrudes.
Pears work extremely well in salads, adding a delicate sweetness that contrasts well with slightly bitter salad leaves. This recipe, for Pear and Walnut Salad, comes from Salads (pub Murdoch Books, £4.99) and appears here with permission. It’s the sort of dish that would make a delicious light lunch or a very easy starter for a dinner party. The dressing is made with blue cheese and walnuts.
Pear and Walnut Salad - Recipe
Ingredients – Serves 4
Dressing
- 100g (3½oz) creamy blue cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
- 100g (3½ oz) walnut halves
Salad
- 4 firm, ripe small pears
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 heads witlof (chicory/Belgian endive), trimmed and leaves separated
- 100 (3½oz)/1 cup) Parmesan cheese, shaved
Method
- To make the dressing, puree the blue cheese in a small processor, then add the olive oil, walnut oil and lemon juice, and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add 2 teaspoons of warm water. Stir in the cream and sage and season to taste.
- Preheat the grill (broiler). Put the walnuts in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 1 minute, then drain. Spread the walnuts on a baking tray and place under the grill for 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Chop coarsely.
- Thinly slice across the pears through the core to make rounds. Do not peel or core the pears, but discard the seeds. As each pear is sliced, sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent discolouration. On each serving plate, arrange three pear slices in a circle. Top with a scattering of walnuts, a couple of endive leaves, a few more walnuts and some parmesan.
- Repeat this layering, reserving the last layer of parmesan and some of the walnuts. Spoon some dressing over each stack, scatter with the remaining walnuts, and top each with the reserved parmesan.
Try some more recipes for Italian salad – Artichoke, Prosciutto and Rocket Salad
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