What, a pear and candied pepitas salad with blue cheese ice cream?
Whoa Baby!
This salad is made with pears, candied roasted pepitas, dried cranberries, and mixed mache greens .
With the addition of fresh mint, chives, and cracked white pepper which enhances and spikes this salad up to the next level.
Tossed with a tangy light pear vinaigrette made in a mason jar.
Then garnished with a small scoop of Blue Cheese Ice Cream brings together ingredients that really enhance each other. And it’s just a “Fun Twist” to a salad.
It’s an explosion of flavor and texture in your mouth! Honestly, you will experience nirvana!
Serves: 8
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Ingredients
Equipment
Ingredients
Chef Gerrie's Notes
* 1 Qtr. Mason Jar with lid is the best and easiest way to mix up your salad dressing. just combine the ingredients and shake-it-up to emulsify the vinaigrette.
* Breville’s “Smart Scoop” is by far the best ice cream maker on the market. You can choose either soft serve, sorbet, gelato, or hard ice cream. The machine does it all with a push of a button. And ice cream in an hour. It has a compressor and no need to pre-freeze tub!
* Pepitas are really yummy when the are roasted/toasted. And when you candied them…OMG, you cant stop eating them. They are great to garnish a squash/pumpkin soup.
* Pears come in so many varieties. But I prefer the Comice Pear due to the buttery rich flavor. Remember, that pears will oxidize so cut and core the 1 pear for dressing first to make the tangy pear vinaigrette. And the other 2 wait prior to tossing.
* The Blue Cheese Ice Cream takes this salad over the top. People go crazy over it!
Instructions
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Make the Blue Cheese Ice Cream either hours before or days before. I recommend the gelato setting.
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Make the candied pepitas. Melt butter in sauté pan over medium-low heat, add the pepitas then sprinkle with sugar and coat well. Stirring often. Once sugar has melted and coated the pepitas remove from heat and transfer the candied seeds onto a Silpat silicone liner to cool.
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Mix up the pear vinaigrette in the mason jar. Combine the mustard, minced shallots, vinegar, oil, lemon juice, honey, and 1 diced pear in the mason jar. Tighten lid and shake like there is no tomorrow! You can make this hours ahead or even a day ahead.
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Strain the pear vinaigrette into a small bowl and return it back into the mason jar.
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Combine greens with the other 2 diced pears, candied pepitas, dried cranberries, mint, chives, sea salt, and white pepper.
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Lightly toss salad with pear vinaigrette (a little goes a long way, do not to over dress salad). No soggy salad.
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Plate up salad and garnish with a small scoop of blue cheese ice cream.
