Best Bacon Pear And Blue Cheese Salad Recipes

Pear, Blue Cheese, Walnut and Bacon Salad image

Provided by gailanng

Time 23m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh limes or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard or 1 1/4 teaspoons whole grain prepared mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons finely minced green onions
salt and pepper
1 cup walnut halves
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon maple syrup or 1 teaspoon honey
1 dash cayenne or 1 dash hot smoked paprika
1/2 lb arugula, mesclun, romaine, mache, spinach (whatever may be your preference)
3 firm bartlett pears, washed, cored and sliced into very thin wedges (skin remaining)
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (gorgonzola, Stilton, etc.)
2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and well drained
1/2-1 lb cooked sliced chicken (optional)

Steps:

Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients until well blended; set aside.
In a small frying pan set on a medium heat, melt the butter, stir in the maple syrup or honey and then stir in the walnuts. Continue to heat the walnuts, stirring continuously, for approximately 2-3 minutes or until they are fragrant, caramelized and lightly browned. Remove from the heat; set aside.
Place the greens in a large salad bowl or, if individual servings are preferred, distribute them equally among 6 salad plates. Sprinkle over the pears, blue cheese and walnuts. Place over chicken then drizzle with dressing and toss.
Note: I find having the chicken warmed is superior to cold chicken.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 354.6, Fat 29.1, SaturatedFat 6.6, Cholesterol 16.9, Sodium 312.9, Carbohydrate 19.3, Fiber 4.7, Sugar 11, Protein 8.7

Bacon, Pear, and Blue Cheese Salad image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 cups apple cider, or juice
1 small baguette, cut diagonally into 12 slices (1/2 inch each)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
9 Seckel pears
Juice of 1 lemon
8 medium shallots, peeled and cut into quarters
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 thick slabs bacon (6 ounces each), cut crosswise into 1-inch squares
2 watercress, washed and large stems removed
1/2 pound blue cheese

Steps:

Place cider in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 30 minutes. Cider should have a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make croutons: Place bread slices on a baking sheet, and brush with 4 tablespoons butter. Toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Cut pears in half; remove seeds with a small melon baller, and discard. Place pears in a medium bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over, and toss to combine. Add shallots to bowl. Drizzle with remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper; and toss to coat. Place in roasting pan, pears cut side down. Roast until golden brown and soft when pierced with a knife, 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently with a wooden spoon.
While pears are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; set aside. Remove pears and shallots from pan, and keep warm.
Arrange watercress on six serving plates, top with warm pear mixture, and sprinkle with bacon. Place two croutons with a piece of blue cheese on each plate. Drizzle reduced cider over salad. Serve immediately.

Pear and Frisee Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 small bunches frisee (8 ounces total), trimmed and torn into bite-size pieces
2 pears, such as Comice, Bartlett, or Anjou, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Steps:

In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 9 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add 2 tablespoons bacon drippings to a large bowl. (If drippings measure less than 2 tablespoons, supplement with oil.) Whisk in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Add frisee, pears, and parsley to bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle salad with bacon and cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 145 g, Fat 7 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 6 g, SaturatedFat 4 g