Chardonnay Poached Pear Salad

What could be better than a wine-poached pear salad? Nothing! Except maybe a chilled glass of white to pear with it...

I poached pears separately in pinot gris and chardonnay, and I loved the chardonnay ones better. It was the dry white that worked well with a savory salad and the already sweet pear.

Poaching pears is very simple. You heat your wine in a saucepan and once it’s simmering, add those pears and simmer until just fork-tender. The pears are absolutely wonderful on their own, and we often have them as part of a dessert. But since I’m fawning over pears in every form, I thought they would be fantastic in a salad.

READ MORE: How to Make a Better Salad

Other delicious things that can be found in this winter greens mix: dried cranberries, tangy and creamy blue cheese, and candied walnuts. So good! It’s a texture-lover’s dream. That's the key to any salad.

Not only is the salad super flavorful, but it’s so much more satisfying than you would expect. Salads usually don’t fill me up, but this one works gloriously. It's a lovely, happy hour dinner or even the most perfect lunch for yourself.

Chardonnay Poached Pear Salad

PREP TIME: 20 minutesCOOK TIME: 20 minutesTOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

SERVINGS

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Ingredients

For the pears
• 1 bottle Harry & David Chardonnay (reserve 1/2 cup for the vinaigrette)
• 3 Royal Riviera Pears (peeled)
For the candied walnuts
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 12 cup walnut pieces
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the chardonnay vinaigratte
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 12 cup Harry & David Chardonnay
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Mixed greens of your choice
• Blue cheese (for topping)
• Cranberries (for topping)

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Shopping List

Harry & David™ White Wine Duo

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Rogue Valley Gift Box

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Instructions

For the pears
1
Pour the chardonnay into a medium pot and place on medium-high heat. Add the peeled pears to the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
For the walnuts
1
In a sauce pan, add the butter and place on medium heat to melt. Add the walnuts and stir to ensure they're fully coated.
2
Sprinkle the sugar on top and stir to coat. Cook until the sugar has caramelized, approximately 5 minutes.
3
Take the walnuts off the heat and spread them on parchment paper to cool.
For the Chardonnay vinaigrette
1
In a medium bowl whisk together the mustard, Chardonnay, black pepper, olive oil and white wine vinegar until fully incorporated.
To serve
1
Place your greens of choice on a plate and sprinkle with blue cheese and candied walnuts.
2
Thinly slice the pears and place on top.
3
Drizzle the dressing on the salad and top with dried cranberries and more cheese and walnuts if desired.