Peppery arugula and ripe pears with creamy goat cheese and buttery skillet-candied pecans in a honey-balsamic vinaigrette.
Freeze the goat cheese for 10 minutes to make it easier to crumble. For a holiday table, add a handful of pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries.
Make ahead: candied pecans keep 1 week in an airtight container; the dressing keeps 4 days in the fridge. Shake or whisk before using.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt (divided)
- 1 small shallot (minced)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc or Anjou (cored and thinly sliced)
- 5 oz baby arugula
- 4 oz goat cheese (crumbled)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt (divided)
- 1 small shallot (minced)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc or Anjou (cored and thinly sliced)
- 5 oz baby arugula
- 4 oz goat cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
Candy the pecans
Melt butter (1 tbsp) in the skillet over medium heat and stir in pecans (1 cup).
Sprinkle with sugar (3 tbsp) and salt (¼ tsp) and stir constantly until the sugar melts into an amber glaze that coats the nuts, about 3 minutes.
Spread the pecans on the parchment-lined plate, separating them, and let cool until crisp.
Equipment: small skillet, parchment-lined plate
Make the vinaigrette
Whisk shallot, balsamic (3 tbsp), Dijon (½ tsp), honey (1 tbsp), salt (¼ tsp) and pepper (¼ tsp).
Slowly whisk in olive oil (⅓ cup) until thick and glossy.
Equipment: small bowl and whisk
Slice the pears
Core and thinly slice pears.
Toss and serve
In a large bowl, gently toss arugula (5 oz) and the pears with most of the vinaigrette.
Divide among plates, top with goat cheese (4 oz) and the candied pecans, and drizzle with the rest of the dressing.
Equipment: large salad bowl
Tomorrow's Meal
Pear, Goat Cheese & Pecan Quesadillas
Leftover pears, goat cheese and candied pecans folded into tortillas with a little mozzarella and crisped in a skillet.
You'll need to pick up:
2 large flour tortillas1/2 cup shredded mozzarella1 tbsp butter
Quick overview:
- 1.Scatter mozzarella, leftover goat cheese, thin pear slices and chopped pecans over half of each tortilla and fold
- 2.Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat
- 3.Cook the quesadillas 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and melted
- 4.Cut into wedges and serve with a handful of leftover arugula drizzled with dressing
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Make ahead: candied pecans keep 1 week in an airtight container; the dressing keeps 4 days in the fridge. Shake or whisk before using.
- • Freeze the goat cheese for 10 minutes to make it easier to crumble.
- • For a holiday table, add a handful of pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries.
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