Pomegranate-Red Wine Poached Pear Salad with Creamy Pom-Yogurt Vinaigrette

When I decided to make a five-course meal, it seemed fitting to make a salad following the soup course. In my latest issue of Vegetarian Times, there was a poached pear salad featured in the Thanksgiving menu section. In order to make it pomtastic, I used a combination of red wine and pomegranate juice in the poaching liquid. I'm also a huge fan of pairing pears with nuts and gorgonzola. To finish the salad, I candied some pecans and sprinkled airls on top for crunch. I love creamy, vinegar based salad dressings, so I used a pomegranate reduction combined with yogurt.

This salad may look complicated, but you can peel and core the pears ahead of time and then poach them right before serving the salad so it doesn't interrupt the flow of the meal. The dressing will separate because of the yogurt, but just give it a shake or whisk before serving and it will come back together.

Pomegranate-Red Wine Poached Pear Salad

with Creamy Pom-Yogurt Vinaigrette

Serves 8

4 pears, peeled and cored 

2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pure Pomegranate Juice

4 cups dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon)

8 cups mixed baby greens

1/2 c. pomegranate arils

1/2 c. crumbled gorgonzola 

1/2 c. candied pecans

vinaigrette:

1 c. POM Wonderful 100% pure pomegranate juice

1/2 c. aged balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. plain greek yogurt

1/4-1/2 c. EVOO

1-2 tbsp. honey

Kosher salt and white pepper

Place pears in a deep soup pot, pour in pom wonderful and red wine.

Place over high heat, bring to a boil and turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Arrange greens on a serving plate, sprinkle with cheese, arils and nuts.

Remove pears from poaching liquid, place on a cutting board, slice in half.

Make several slices into each half, angled toward the stem, never cutting completely off.

Fan pears out on salad platter, top with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette:

In a small stock pot, bring pom juice and vinegar to a boil, simmer and reduce to 1/2 c. of liquid remains.

Cool.

Whisk together cooled vinegar mixture with yogurt, honey, salt and pepper.

Slowly add in 1/4 c. EVOO while whisking.

Taste, adjust seasonings, add more olive oil if necessary.

Serve with salad immediately.

Roasted Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette

To pair with the walnut pate and pear sandwiches, I chose to prepare the roasted pear salad. Sorry, I couldn't help it! 

Roasting pears results in a delicious, sweet, tender, and less mealy product. The warm, soft pear becomes buttery, and makes this salad something very special. Fresh figs are in season right now and you can make jam yourself, or you can purchase whole fig preserves. I haven't been able to keep any figs around long enough to cook with them. As soon as I get my hands on them they're diced and thrown into a bowl of yogurt and honey! 

The original recipe calls for a pat of goat cheese roasted in the pear cavity, but I had some Amish blue cheese to use up, and I love pairing blue cheese with fruit. I also had organic cherry tomatoes, so I topped the salad with those rather than the nuts called for in the original recipe. Clearly, I can't stick with a recipe, but that's ok! It's great to adapt things to suit your tastes, dietary needs and what you have on hand.

I look forward to roasting many more pears this fall for both sweet and savory dishes. Do you have any favorite pear-centric favorites?

Tips and Trades:

-When you're at the market, choose whatever organic green is on sale that week for the salad, you can't go wrong! Baby spinach creates a soft bed to let the pear flavor shine, and arugula's peppery flavor will contrast with the sweet, buttery pear, for example.

Roasted Pear salad with Blue Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette

adapted from Vegetarian Times, October 2010

1 Bosc pear, halved and cored

2 + 3 tbsp. Fig Preserves

2 oz. blue cheese crumbles

1 tbsp. EVOO

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

4 c. baby spinach

Red onion slices

Cherry tomato halves

Walnuts or pecans

Crumbled Cheese

Preheat oven to 350*

Wash pear, slice in half and use a melon baller to remove core.

Spoon 1 tbsp. fig preserves into each half, top with 1 oz. blue cheese.

Place in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, until tender.

In a small dish, whisk together EVOO, 3 tbsp. fig preserves, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Taste and adjust if necessary.

Remove pears from the oven, cool for 5 minutes.

Place greens on a plate, top with pear and other salad ingredients.

Drizzle with viniagrette, serve. 

Pear, Spinach and Pecan Rolls

Today we had a staff pot-luck lunch and white elephant gift exchange. I love making appetizers, and I wanted to make something healthy because that's what we try to do at the Y.
These rolls are a great go to meal, they can be made the night before and sliced right before the party. They're also JJ's favorite, so he eats the scraps and end pieces that aren't as pretty!


When I got home, I realized that I didn't have toothpicks. I ran over to hobby lobby to get a few gift boxes, and found these cupcake flags. Now on any other occasion, I'd order them from my friend Lauren, but it was last minute so I had to buy them from the store :( Sorry, Lauren! I swear, next time I make these you're getting my business!


These can be made less Christmas-y by using pesto or whole grain tortillas, but I loved the red and green colors.

Pear, Spinach and Pecan Rolls (Makes 48)

1 package of 8 sun dried tomato tortillas

1 block reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 c. toasted pecans, crumbled

1 tbsp. butter

1 bag baby spinach, shredded

2 pears, peeled, cored and diced small

Salt and Pepper

Set cream cheese on counter to soften.

Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat.

Melt butter and add pears, cook until pears are slightly softened, about 8 minutes.

In another non-stick skillet over high, lighty wilt spinach, then place in a colander over the sink.

Lay out tortillas and smear with cream cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with crushed walnuts, and some of the pears and spinach.

Roll up and put into a food storage container seam side down.

Finish all rolls and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Before serving, stick in toothpicks, slice off edges of tortillas, then cut each roll into 6 pieces.

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake - Two Ways!

(Pear and Golden Raisin Bundt)

(Apple Mini Loaf)

My parents have a giant pear tree in their front yard. A few weeks ago, my dad sent me home with a few dozen pears. They were a little under ripe, so I decided to bake with them. I looked in Baking: From My Home To Yours, and found one recipe that called for pears that was perfect - Brown Sugar Bundt Cake! Since my husband and I both love brown sugar, we knew it would be perfect. It is very easy to make, and looks beautiful.

I was reading Dorie's playing around section, and she mentioned to try it with apples, and substitute prunes or craisins for the raisins. I went apple picking, and knew I wanted to include an apple cake in my fall treat packages, so I went with mini loaves using apple (but no dried fruits). They taste great and look adorable!

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter at room temp.

2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs at room temp.

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. buttermilk at room temp.

2 pears or apples in a small dice (I use 3)

1/2 c. dried raisins/cranberries/prunes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a bundt cake pan.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time. Scrape down, add in vanilla.

Add in baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix in for 10 seconds.

Add in flour and buttermilk, alternating starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.

Fold in apple or pear pieces with a spatula.

Pour into bundt cake pan. Bake for 60 minutes (25 for mini loaf cakes).

Cool for 60 minutes.

*In the apple cake, I added 1 tsp. ground cinnamon*

Arugula, Goat Cheese, Walnut and Pear Salad

I found so many wonderful hearty stew like dishes for my French cooking, but not enough light ones until I decided to just put a few popular food items together into a salad and make up my own French food. I read that Arugula, Goat Cheese (or Chevre), Pear, and Walnuts are all often used, so I decided to make a salad with it.
The goat cheese I had on hand was Cinnamon and Cranberry, originally for my Crepes, but I forgot about it! I figured to match it with pears would highlight the sweetness, and and arugula to balance out the spice. This salad was delicious and very simple.

Arugula, Goat Cheese, Pear and Walnut Salad

4 c. organic baby arugula
1 pear, diced
2 oz. cinnamon cranberry goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. walnuts
1/4 c. dressing of choice, or just a splash of champagne vinegar and EVOO


Arrange salad and enjoy.

Caramelized Pear and Walnut Profiteroles

I absolutely love profiteroles. They're so light and airy, yet rich and delicious. I wanted to make something different, not the normal cream puff. I wanted it to be a little sweet and a little savory, not a dessert. I have recently fell in love with pears, so I wanted to make these with pears, and I thought mascarpone would be a nice change from cream cheese.

Caramelized Pear and Walnut Profiteroles

2 batches of profiteroles, recipe below

8 pears, diced

¼ c. light brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

2 8 oz. tubs mascarpone cheese

Profiteroles (from Emeril):

1 c. milk

1 stick butter

1 c. flour

½ tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

5 eggs

Bring butter and milk to a gentle boil in a saucepot, add flour, salt and baking powder and stir until it comes away from the sides of the pot. Pour into a mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat in eggs one at a time. Spoon onto a baking sheet, about 1 tbsp. blobs.

Cook for 10 min. at 425, then another 15 at 375.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter.

Add pears, salt, and brown sugar. Cook on medium high for 15 minutes, until syrupy.

Remove from heat, cool to room temp, add mascarpone.

Spoon into a pastry bag with hole the size of your thumb (large enough for pears to get out)

Slice into profiteroles with a knife, insert pastry bag and squeeze a bit of the filling in.

Refrigerate until serving. Do not cover or profiteroles will get soggy.