If you love blue cheese, this is the salad to for you. And who doesn’t like bacon? Add some crunchy pears and spinach and you’ll have a fabulous salad. Recipe is from the BBC site where you’ll see a better quality (and much more appetizing) picture as well.
You’ll need:
- 4 smoked bacon rashers
- 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- 140 g blue cheese (Stilton), crumbled
- 100 g washed baby spinach
For the sauce (I used larger amounts than in the original recipe because one never has enough sauce, right?)
- 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tl wholegrain mustard
- 3 spl olive oil
# Use a sharp knife to snip the bacon crossways into fat matchsticks. Heat a small, dry frying pan on a medium heat and add the bacon. Cook for about 10 mins, until the fat has run and the bacon is crisp.
# To make the dressing, reduce the heat in the pan to low and stir in 1 tbsp water, then the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir well, scraping up any residue on the base of the pan. Stir in the oil, taste and season.
# Meanwhile, heat a ridged griddle pan or grill and cook the pears for about 5 mins on each side, until browned. Place in a bowl and mix with the cubes of cheese (this melts the cheese a little, making it nice and squidgy). Tip the spinach into a serving bowl, and scatter the cheese and pear mixture over. Top with the warm bacon dressing and serve immediately.
# Be sure not to add too much cheese, since it may kill all the other flavors. A bit is enough. And besides, you can always add more.
