Mascarpone Gorgonzola And Poached Pear Salad Recipes

PEAR & GORGONZOLA SALAD

Steps:

• Toast the walnuts in a pan with a small amount of oil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
• To make the salad dressing, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and oregano to a small mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together until well combined. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the lettuce, pear, cheese, walnuts and cranberries to a large salad bowl.
• Top the salad with half the salad dressing. Mix gently to coat the lettuce. If the salad requires more dressing, add a little extra at a time until the desired dressing ratio is reached. Serve immediately.

RED WINE POACHED PEARS WITH MASCARPONE FILLING

Steps:

• Peel pears and leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cool pears in wine mixture to room temperature. You can refrigerate them in the poaching liquid until you're ready to fill them.
• Remove stems from pears and set stems aside. Core pears with an apple corer, leaving pear whole.
• Whisk together mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, pinch cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag, or if you do not have one, use wax paper tightly wrapped into a cone with the corner snipped off. Pipe filling into cored pears and finish by putting the stems gently into the mascarpone filling on top of the pears.
• Bring sauce up to a simmer and reduce by half. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir until combined. Spoon generously over pears. Cool to room temperature before serving.

ARUGULA AND PEAR SALAD WITH MASCARPONE AND TOASTED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast nuts, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then sprinkle with salt to taste. Pour oil into a heatproof measuring cup.
• Stir half of warm toasted walnuts into mascarpone along with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Add oil in a slow stream to 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl, whisking, then whisk in remaining 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cool dressing.
• Halve pear lengthwise and remove core (preferably with a melon-ball cutter), then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on 4 plates, to one side, and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice.
• Toss arugula with enough dressing to coat and mound alongside pear. Spoon a dollop of mascarpone mixture onto each plate between salad and pear, then sprinkle salads with remaining toasted walnuts.

PEAR & GORGONZOLA SALAD

Steps:

• To make Vinaigrette------------------.
• Mix vinegar, salt, mustard in a blender or food processor.
• Very slowly pour in the oil while processor is on.
• Process until an emulsion forms.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add shallots& pepper.
• Best to make it fresh but may be stored for a few days in the fridge.
• ---Salad-----------------------.
• Toss greens with most of the vinaigrette.
• Divide among 4 plates.
• Decorate with pear slices and crumbled cheese.
• Coarsely chop the walnuts and put on top of salad.
• Drizzle the last of the vinaigrette over top.

MASCARPONE, GORGONZOLA AND POACHED PEAR SALAD

Steps:

• The salad leaves (for serving) can be anything you want but rocket and lambs lettuce would be nice.
• The mascarpone needs to be at room temperature and the Gorgonzola cut into 2 cm cubes.
• Cut the chill in half.
• Chop the basil, chives and spring onions and put to one side.
• Thinly pare the zest from the two lemons.
• The pears should be firm cooking pears such as Comice.
• Peel the pears but leave the stalks on and keep them whole.
• You will need a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears.
• Put the chili, rosemary, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest and juice, sugar, honey and the red wine into the saucepan.
• Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the pears to the pan and some water ONLY if needed to just cover the pears, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 40 minutes - or until the pears are cooked.
• When you can easily insert a knife through the pears they are done. The cooking time will depend on the size, how ripe the pears are and the variety of pear.
• The liquid should be a spicy syrup.
• When done, remove the pears with a slotted spoon, place gently on a plate to cool - Not the serving plates at the stage.
• Now gently mix the mascarpone and Gorgonzola together and then stir in the basil, chives and spring onions.
• Arrange some salad leaves on 6 serving plates and place a pear on each.
• Add a spoonful of the cheese and a little of the spicy syrup and serve.