Pear, Stilton & Walnut Salad
Equipment
- Bowl, large
- Bowl, small
- Serving plate
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 heads chicory sliced
- ¼ cucumber sliced
- ½ teaspoon honey clear
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon mustard wholegrain and gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 3 pears cored and sliced
- 100 g Stilton cheese rind removed and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- 100 g watercress
Instructions
- Toss the watercress, chicory, pears and cucumber together and arrange on a serving plate or in a large salad bowl.
- Whisk the lemon juice, honey, wholegrain mustard and olive oil together in a small bowl until combined.
- Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad.
- Sprinkle with the crumbled Stilton and chopped walnuts and serve immediately.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Advice
Serve this salad freshly prepared as a light Lunch or alongside a main course as a Side Dish. The combination of fruit, cheese and walnuts also makes it substantial enough for a simple lunch.Recipe Notes
Choose ripe but firm pears so they remain intact when tossed with the other ingredients. Add the dressing shortly before serving to keep the watercress and chicory crisp. Stilton is naturally salty, so additional salt should not be necessary.Stilton & Pear Soup Variation
For the original soup variation, melt 15 g butter in a pan and add 1 chopped onion. Fry for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add 4 peeled, cored and chopped pears and 850 ml gluten-free vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15–18 minutes until the pears are tender. Blend until smooth, return to the heat and stir in 125 g crumbled Stilton until melted. Finish with lemon juice and seasoning to taste and serve with 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Approximately 268 calories per serving.Storage Advice
The finished salad is best served immediately. If preparing ahead, keep the dressing, pears, Stilton and walnuts separate from the salad leaves. Refrigerate the prepared ingredients and assemble shortly before serving.Wine Advice
The combination of sweet pear and salty Stilton calls for a wine with enough fruit and sweetness to balance the blue cheese. A lightly sweet Moscato d’Asti is an excellent choice. Its fresh fruit character and delicate bubbles complement the pear while providing a pleasant contrast to the creamy Stilton.Nutrition values
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About Pear, Stilton & Walnut Salad
Pear, Stilton & Walnut Salad combines sweet fruit, distinctive English blue cheese and crisp vegetables in a simple but flavourful dish. Ripe pears provide natural sweetness, Stilton adds a creamy and salty contrast, and chopped walnuts bring crunch and a slightly earthy flavour. Watercress, chicory and cucumber keep the salad fresh, while a lemon, honey and wholegrain mustard dressing brings all the ingredients together.
Pear and Stilton
Pear and Stilton are a classic combination because their flavours naturally balance each other. Stilton has a rich texture and pronounced blue-cheese flavour, while ripe pears are juicy, fragrant and sweet. The fruit softens the intensity of the cheese without masking its distinctive character.
Stilton also gives the recipe a strong connection with England. Combined with walnuts and pears, it creates a salad that feels equally appropriate for a simple lunch or a more elaborate meal.
Choosing the Pears
Use pears that are ripe but still firm. They should have developed plenty of flavour and sweetness while remaining firm enough to slice cleanly. Very ripe pears can become soft and break apart when the salad is tossed.
Core and slice the pears shortly before assembling the dish. If they need to stand for a little longer, coat them lightly with some of the lemon juice to help slow down browning.
Watercress, Chicory and Cucumber
Watercress contributes a fresh, peppery flavour that contrasts with the rich Stilton. Chicory adds a crisp texture and slight bitterness, while cucumber provides a mild and refreshing element.
Together, these vegetables give the Salad more character than conventional salad leaves alone. Their different textures also provide a good foundation for the softer pears and cheese.
Adding the Walnuts
Walnuts are particularly well suited to both pears and blue cheese. Their earthy flavour complements the Stilton, while their crunch contrasts with the soft fruit and creamy cheese.
Chop the walnuts before adding them so they are distributed throughout the salad rather than appearing as occasional large pieces. Adding the Nuts at the end also helps preserve their texture.
The Honey Mustard Dressing
The dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, clear honey and gluten-free wholegrain mustard. Lemon provides acidity, honey complements the natural sweetness of the pears and mustard gives the dressing additional depth.
Whisk the ingredients together until combined, then drizzle the dressing over the salad shortly before serving. Only a light coating is required because the Stilton and pears already provide plenty of flavour.
Serving the Salad
This salad works particularly well as a light Lunch. The combination of cheese, fruit and walnuts gives it more substance than a simple green salad while keeping the overall dish fresh.
It can also be served as a Side Dish with a larger meal. Its sweet, salty and slightly bitter flavours provide a useful contrast alongside richer dishes.
For Special Occasions
The combination of pears, walnuts and Stilton makes the salad particularly suitable for festive and special meals. It works well as part of a Christmas table, a family dinner or another special occasion where a fresh dish is needed alongside richer foods.
Arrange the ingredients on a large serving plate rather than mixing them too vigorously if presentation is important. Finish with the Stilton and walnuts so they remain clearly visible.
Gluten-Free and Vegetarian
The recipe contains no wheat ingredients and specifically uses gluten-free wholegrain mustard. When all packaged ingredients are confirmed gluten-free, the salad is suitable for the Gluten-Free category.
It is also suitable for a vegetarian diet. However, the recipe contains dairy from the Stilton and walnuts, so it is not suitable for dairy-free, lactose-free or nut-free diets.
Preparing Ahead
The individual components can be prepared ahead, but it is better not to assemble the complete salad until shortly before serving. Dressing the leaves too early causes them to soften and lose their fresh texture.
Keep the vegetables, Stilton, walnuts and dressing separately refrigerated. Prepare the pears as close to serving time as possible and combine everything just before bringing the salad to the table.
Storage
Leftover dressed salad does not store particularly well because the leaves gradually soften and the pears release moisture. For this reason, prepare only as much as you expect to serve whenever possible.
If leftovers remain, refrigerate them promptly in a covered container and consume them as soon as practical. Undressed ingredients can be stored separately and combined later for a fresher result.
A Salad Built on Contrasts
The strength of Pear, Stilton & Walnut Salad comes from the contrast between a relatively small number of ingredients. Sweet pear, salty Stilton, bitter chicory, peppery watercress and crunchy walnuts each provide a different element.
The fresh honey and lemon dressing connects those flavours without overwhelming them. The result is a distinctive English-inspired salad that can be served throughout the year as a light lunch, side dish or fresh addition to a special meal.