This past weekend I got to do one of my favorite things.. hang out with chefs, bloggers, food writers and people who love food as much as I do!!! The occasion? A book signing and talk sponsored by Melissa’s Produce to introduce their new book “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” by Cathy Thomas. The event was organized by a new group, OC Bites. Louise, Debbi and Renee, the powerhouses behind OC Bites prepared a delicious lunch and Cathy entertained us with stories from her years as the food editor the OC Register.
Over the last few days I’ve been reading through this cookbook trying to decide which recipe I wanted to make – which was not easy. I found myself bookmarking numerous recipes that I want to try ( I really need to invest in more post – its!). Flipping through the pages, I found I really liked the layout of this book. Instead of chapters on soups, salads, main courses, etc., etc. there are chapters for different fruits and vegetables with information on varieties, seasonality, buying, storing, and of course preparation along with great serving suggestions. This book is an excellent addition to any cookbook collection – especially if you are expanding your fruit and vegetable horizons and aren’t sure what to do with that gorgeous Kabocha squash you just brought home from the market!
After much internal debate, I settled on the Roasted Pear Salad with Honey and Blue Cheese and it was absolutely delicious and very easy to make! This is a perfect appetizer salad – add some grilled chicken and it’s a perfect dinner!
Priscilla from She’s Cookin has a wonderful post with another recipe and photos from the book signing – stop by and say hello!!
Grilled Pear Salad with Honey and Blue Cheese
Instead of grilling the pears on a grill, I did mine in a grill pan on the stove and this worked really well. I also substituted baby greens for the butter lettuce.
(adapted from “Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” by Cathy Thomas)
(Serves 4)
Vinaigrette
- 4 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 Belgian endive, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 small head curly endive, torn into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 small butter lettuce torn into bite sized pieces or 4 cups baby greens
- 2 ripe pears, red skinned preferred – cut into quarters and cored
- 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
Directions:
- Make the vinaigrette. Combine 2 Tbsp. honey, vinegar, mustard and shallots. Whisk to combine.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until mixture is thoroughly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the endive, curly endive and baby greens, if using. Toss to combine.
- Reserve 2 Tbsp. of vinaigrette for pears. Drizzle remaining dressing over greens and toss. Divide greens among 4 plates.
- Lightly oil a grill pan and heat over medium high heat. Brush cut sides of pears with the reserved vinaigrette. Add the pears and grilled about 2 minutes per side. Remove from grill pan and place on the greens.
- Top salads with cheese.
- Warm the remaining honey over low heat. Drizzle honey over the salads and serve.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Nancy, I must join you OC Bites folks some time. Looks like a super fun event. Do me a favor – could you please give me a poke to let me know when fun local stuff is going on as I seem to miss it
Beautiful salad today! xo
Definitely will have to remember to copy you on this stuff!!!
Sounds so interesting and well written! Great review and recipe!
Hi Amanda,
Thanks!! It really was a fun day and I have to say the salad is really good!!
that looks like such a great day, Nancy! And the salad was an extra added bonus! I love all that you do! You go, Lady!!!
Aw.. thanks Susan!!
Have to say I feel the same about you .. we have got to get together soon!!!
Sounds like an excellent book for spring..I love how the chapters are organized by fruit and vegetable. That salad looks delicious!
Hi Lisa!!
I am so glad that you liked the salad and the book is lovely with quite a bit of information – especially when various varieties of fruits and vegetables are in season which I found very helpful.
Ok, our synchronicity is starting to scare me! For lunch today I made a salad with watercress, frisee, red oak lettuce and bosc pear, blue cheese and dried cranberries in a dijon shallot vinaigrette. But it wasn’t as pretty as yours by a long shot!
Me too Adair – I’d like to think that “great minds think alike”… at least in some areas!! As for the looks of my salad I think it’s the grill marks!
I was scrolling down your blog and suddenly, I’m starving!
That is definitely one of the hazards of reading food blogs and I am so glad that you found the posts appealing!!
You look so pretty in the photo, Nancy. I made a similar salad for dinner tonight but with apples instead of pears…I wonder if I could have grilled the apples? Your recipes always have a sophisticated twist.
Mary Ann
Awww… thanks!!! I bet grilling the apples would be awesome… now you have me thinking I’ve got to try that!!!
Delicious sald. Pears and blue cheese are perfect together!
Nisrine
Butter lettuce has quickly become my new favorite green, I’m not sure what took me so long. The grilled Pear looks perfect! Great photos Nancy!!
Thanks Paul!!
I’ve been working on my photography and it’s coming along.. not where I want it yet, but getting there!! I have always loved butter lettuce.. heck, I like all lettuce to be honest and the grilled pears are a fun addition – wonderful contrast between the warm pear and the cool greens!
My favorite salad in the world was inspired by the one at Nordstrom’s Cafe and it has a lot of the same ingredients but grilling the pears? I’ve never thought of that and now I HAVE to try that. I’m definitely the sort where…everything’s better grilled, right?
Sounds like a great event to have been part of; lucky you…and lucky them!
Grilling the pears really makes a difference – I love the contrast between the slightly warm pear and the cool salad greens. As for grilling, I would have to agree – after 5 years of spending weekends on a boat where the only means of cooking was grilling, I got quite creative!!
Thanks for the shout out, Nancy! The pear salad you chose is a keeper for sure – we’re so lucky to be able to grill year-round. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow as well
You are so welcome! It was so fun to see you at the event and then again for breakfast!!
I have a perfect pear waiting to be eaten so this looks like the way to go !
I hope you like it! I loved the contrast of the slightly warm pear with the cool salad greens!
What a fun time…I am so jealous
And the salad looks great, love grilled fruits…
Hope you are having a great weekend
This was a fun event and the salad is really good – total thumbs up from entire family – woo hoo!!
Sounds like a fun event, and grilling pears is genius! They look just perfect on the salad, and the mix of flavors sounds great.
Thank you LIsa… it was a very fun event!! The grilling works wonders and I have a feeling I’ll be grilling all kinds of fruit in the future!!!
This is absolutely beautiful – wish it were warmer here so I could contemplate a salad. Sigh. Soon. Soon!
Hopefully it will be soon Mardi!! One thing I found is that even if your pears aren’t perfectly ripe, the grilling works wonders – softens them and the heat caramelizes the sugars a bit making them sweeter!
That is one stunning salad! Yum!