Poached Pear Salad with Pear Vinaegrette

By seo53

Ingredients

• For the Salad:
• 1 head Boston lettuce
• 3/4-cup pear vinaigrette, recipe follows
• 4 Ounces bleu Cheese, Crumbled
• 1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted
• 2 poached pears, recipe follows, halved and cored
• For the Poached Pears:
• 4 Bosc pears
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 lemon peel
• 1 orange peel
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• Pear Vinaigrette
• 2 poached pears, pureed (from above)
• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup poaching liquid from the poached pears
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 270mins

Preparation

Step 1

FOR THE SALAD:
To assemble salad, wash lettuce well and drain until very dry. Toss leaves in the pear vinaigrette in a salad bowl.
Add the bleu cheese and pecans.
Place a mound of lettuce on each of 4 plates. Serve with 1/2 a poached pear.
FOR THE POACHED PEARS:
Peel pears, leaving stems intact and trimming bottom to "seat" them firmly in bottom of large stockpot.
lnto the stockpot, add tne wine, water, sugar, vanilla bean, star anise, lemon and orange peels, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from stove and
let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Reserve 1/4 cup of poaching liquid for the vinaigrette.
FOR THE DRESSING:
Place ingredients in large bowl and whisk together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.