Salads
Pan fried pear salad with pancetta , gorgonzola and a warm dressing
I just love a good salad recipe. When it is cold outside, having a substantial salad with a warm dressing really is just the ticket.
Ingredients
- 2 x 120g/4oz packets rocket
- handful pine nuts
- 16 slices pancetta
- 2 knobs of butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 pears, peeled, cored, quartered
- 1 tsp honey, plus extra for the dressing
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, plus 2 tbsp for the dressing
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 150g/5oz gorgonzola, ripped into chunks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Distribute the rocket evenly among four serving plates.
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Heat a frying pan and toast the pine nuts for three minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove the nuts from the frying pan.
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Heat the pancetta in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
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Place a knob of butter and the oil into a clean frying pan set over a low heat. Once the butter melts, add the pears, salt, pepper and honey. Turn up the heat and cook for a further five minutes.
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Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute, then take the pan off the heat. Remove the pears from the pan, reserving any juice that may be left.
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Arrange the pears and pancetta on top of the rocket leaves so each person has four quarters each.
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For the dressing, put the pan containing the pear juices back on the heat and add the remaining knob of butter, a dash of honey, the mustard, salt and pepper and the pine nuts. Cook the mixture until warmed through.
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Pour the dressing over the pears and the rocket. Scatter over the gorgonzola and serve.
Pan-fried pear salad with pancetta, gorgonzola and a warm dressing