Pear Salad with Oregon Pinot Noir Glaze and Warm Walnut Vinaigrette


Pears and Oregon Pinot Noir, what a perfect combination!

Yields1 Serving
Glaze
 2 Bartlett or Anjou pears
 1 bottle Oregon Pinot Noir
 ¼ cup sugar
 1 star anise
 ½ tsp kosher salt
Vinaigrette
 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
 ¼ cup olive oil
 1 cup toasted walnut pieces
 ½ cup white wine
 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
String Potatoes or Frites
 1 russet potato, peeled
 1 qt canola oil
Salad
 3 cups mixed greens
 1 cup crumbled Oregonzola bleu cheese
Glazing the Pears
1


Peel the pears. Combine the remaining ingredients from the pears section in a pot and bring to a simmer.

2

Let simmer for five minutes. Add the pears, and cook them over medium-low heat for about twenty minutes, or until fork tender.

3

Remove from the liquid to a bowl of ice water for one minute to stop cooking. Reserve liquid.

4

Continue reducing the poaching liquid over medium-high heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes, until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool.

Walnut Vinaigrette
5

To make the warm walnut vinaigrette, sauté the shallots and the garlic in two tablespoons of the oil, in a medium-sized pan over medium heat.

6

Add the walnut pieces, and stir for twenty to thirty seconds.

7

Add the wine and white wine vinegar.

8

With a whisk, add the Dijon, then slowly stream in the remaining oil, whisking constantly, until completely incorporated.

9

Heat the vinaigrette over very low heat.

For the potatoes
10

Fill a large, heavy pot halfway with oil. Heat to 360F.

11

On a vegetable turner (found at most kitchen stores) spin the potato into strings, or cut into very thin strips.

12

Dry the prepped potato quickly with a towel, then place in the oil to fry until golden. You will need to turn them for even cooking. Remove the potato from the oil and put in a bowl lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

Preparing the Pears
13

Slice the pears lengthwise on either side of the core into six even pieces.

14

With a spoon, take some of the cooled reduced cooking liquid (which should be a syrupy consistency) and stream or streak onto the plate.

15

Place one of the largest pear slices down on the plate over the pear glaze.

16

Place some of the bleu cheese crumbles on the pear slice, then some of the greens dressed in a little oil, then carefully place the next largest piece of pear on top and repeat.

17

Spoon some of the warm walnut vinaigrette next to the stacked pear, and garnish with the potato nest or frites.

CategoryCuisine
Gavin McMichael, The Blacksmith (Bend) | Serves 4

Ingredients

Glaze
 2 Bartlett or Anjou pears
 1 bottle Oregon Pinot Noir
 ¼ cup sugar
 1 star anise
 ½ tsp kosher salt
Vinaigrette
 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
 ¼ cup olive oil
 1 cup toasted walnut pieces
 ½ cup white wine
 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
String Potatoes or Frites
 1 russet potato, peeled
 1 qt canola oil
Salad
 3 cups mixed greens
 1 cup crumbled Oregonzola bleu cheese

Directions

Glazing the Pears
1


Peel the pears. Combine the remaining ingredients from the pears section in a pot and bring to a simmer.

2

Let simmer for five minutes. Add the pears, and cook them over medium-low heat for about twenty minutes, or until fork tender.

3

Remove from the liquid to a bowl of ice water for one minute to stop cooking. Reserve liquid.

4

Continue reducing the poaching liquid over medium-high heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes, until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool.

Walnut Vinaigrette
5

To make the warm walnut vinaigrette, sauté the shallots and the garlic in two tablespoons of the oil, in a medium-sized pan over medium heat.

6

Add the walnut pieces, and stir for twenty to thirty seconds.

7

Add the wine and white wine vinegar.

8

With a whisk, add the Dijon, then slowly stream in the remaining oil, whisking constantly, until completely incorporated.

9

Heat the vinaigrette over very low heat.

For the potatoes
10

Fill a large, heavy pot halfway with oil. Heat to 360F.

11

On a vegetable turner (found at most kitchen stores) spin the potato into strings, or cut into very thin strips.

12

Dry the prepped potato quickly with a towel, then place in the oil to fry until golden. You will need to turn them for even cooking. Remove the potato from the oil and put in a bowl lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

Preparing the Pears
13

Slice the pears lengthwise on either side of the core into six even pieces.

14

With a spoon, take some of the cooled reduced cooking liquid (which should be a syrupy consistency) and stream or streak onto the plate.

15

Place one of the largest pear slices down on the plate over the pear glaze.

16

Place some of the bleu cheese crumbles on the pear slice, then some of the greens dressed in a little oil, then carefully place the next largest piece of pear on top and repeat.

17

Spoon some of the warm walnut vinaigrette next to the stacked pear, and garnish with the potato nest or frites.

Pear Salad with Oregon Pinot Noir Glaze and Warm Walnut Vinaigrette


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