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Home Salads/Side Dishes

Poached Pear & Brie Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

By: Nicole 6 Comments
Posted: 02/11/13

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Done 1

Last week, I gave you a Valentine’s Day appetizer and entrée; and because we both know that crostini and pasta alone do not a Valentine’s dinner make, I figured the most sensible thing to do would be to give you some recipes to complete the meal.

So today I’m thinking about balance. Perhaps something green and leafy? Something that will make you feel better about snarfing down double carbohydrates in one meal. Something that can typically be a bit mundane and unimaginative…

Poach Pears

If you haven’t guessed by my not so subtle hints (or pictures), I’m speaking of the ever so present salad.

But my friends, this salad is no ordinary salad; this salad is the polar opposite of most salads. This salad supersedes any salad I’ve had in the last six months – except for my beloved seared ahi tuna salad – nothing beats that.

Greens

While this dish isn’t a hard one to create, it does require a little bit of prep work before assembly, absurdly easy prep work, but prep work nonetheless.

We first start with firm, slightly under ripe Bosc pears that are gently poached in a little water, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla bean. After the pears are cooked through and soft to the touch, they cool in their own liquid to soak up as much syrup as possible. They’re then halved, cored, and stored until needed.

The hard part is complete. Easy right?

Pears 2

Next is assembly. Mixed greens are thrown on to a large serving platter and tossed with a quick and easy balsamic vinaigrette. The pears we’ve so lovingly poached are artfully draped over the top and the whole salad is dotted with decadent triple crème brie cheese and toasted walnuts.

That’s it, course number two is finished. Easy, elegant, and totally worthy of Valentine’s Day.

Done 3

Stayed tuned tomorrow for the most decadent, chocolaty cookies, I’ve ever made – or eaten for that matter.

4.0 from 1 reviews
Poached Pear & Brie Salad
 
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Author: Nicole-Cooking for Keeps
Ingredients
  • Poached Pears:
  • 1 quart water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Seeds of one vanilla bean
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 pears, peeled
  • Salad:
  • Mixed Greens
  • Triple Crème Brie Cheese, cut in bit size pieces
  • ¼ cup walnuts, toasted
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette:
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Baguette for serving
Instructions
  1. To Make Poached Pears: Bring water sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and pears to a roiling boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pears are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in mixture for 1 hour. Can be made the day before, just store in sugar syrup. Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove core and seeds. Slice pears lengthwise, keeping them together.
  2. Toss greens with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
  3. Place pear half on top of greens, arranging in a fan. Sprinkle with a few walnuts and brie cheese. Serve with a crusty French baguette.
3.2.1215

Done 4

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!

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  1. angela rotert says

    Posted on 2/12/13 at 6:22 pm

    don’t stop cooking. I would be in trouble. thank you

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/12/13 at 6:59 pm

      Haha don’t worry! I won’t! Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Leigh Ann says

    Posted on 2/13/13 at 4:42 pm

    Yummy! I’m glad I picked up those pears yesterday!

    Reply
  3. little t says

    Posted on 2/14/13 at 11:59 am

    Yummy sounds delicious! I love pear and brie together.

    Reply
  4. Rosa Ruas says

    Posted on 1/20/15 at 4:16 pm

    Any idea of the nutrition information on this recipe? Sounds great but I’m counting my calories (ww points plus) so I would like to have an idea, thanks.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 1/20/15 at 9:21 pm

      Sorry Rosa, I don’t have nutritional information for my recipes! If you omitted the brie, I think it would be a little bit healthier!

      Reply

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Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved into an equal love of showing you easy elevated meals can be approachable and most importantly, tasty.

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