Wintery Endive Walnut & Pear Salad

This ENDIVE WALNUT & PEAR SALAD is the epitome of winter cuisine as far as salads go.

ENDIVE is a bitter leafy vegetable that grows throughout the chillier seasons. The leaves have a delicious crunch, but aren’t too rigged. They’re perfectly balanced when paired with the sweetness and acidity of seasonal fruits like pears, apples, and pomegranate.

BLUE CHEESE is a savory, umami-rich cheese with beautiful blue veins that are a pop of contrast against the white-toned endive leaves and pears. WALNUTS are an excellent crunch to pair with blue cheese, and they’re full of winter-essential vitamins and minerals.

The recipe comes together with the addition of fresh THYME leaves and a SHALLOT BALSAMIC DRESSING. I used a pomegranate balsamic vinegar that I purchased from a small shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

It’s rich with decadence, and gives the pungent shallots the sweetness and acidity they need to soften up.

Tips

• This salad is best enjoyed right away. Endive wilts quickly!
• Make the dressing first to allow the shallots to have time to mellow and soften.
• How to cut open a pomegranate: Cut off the very top and bottom of the pomegranate, then gently slice the skin from top to bottom, following the white membranes visible from the top. This allows you to pull apart its large sections.

Tools

• Mini Cast Iron Pan
• Japanese Knife Set
• Salt & Pepper Grinders

Endive Walnut Pear Salad Ingredients

Seasonal ingredients reign in this winter salad. Buying seasonal food ensures it's the most delicious, nutritious, and cost-effective.

DRESSING

• Shallot – could be replaced with onion
• Olive oil – organic & unrefined is best
• Balsamic vinegar – I used a pomegranate-infused balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt – or any salt of choice; I use Celtic sea salt (full of essential minerals)
• Black pepper – freshly ground is the most flavorful

SALAD

• Endives – or another bitter leafy green, such as radicchio or cabbage
• Pears – a combo of red & green is beautiful
• Pomegranate – can't replace that tart crunch!
• Blue cheese – or other strong, crumbly cheese of choice
• Walnuts – sprouted nuts are my go-to for nutrient availability
• Thyme – fresh, not dried

How To Make Endive Walnut Pear Salad

STEP 1 | DRESSING

When it comes to dressings with textural elements like minced shallot, I tend to just put all the ingredients together in a jar with a lid and give it a hardy shake. I don't fuss around with emulsification, but if you're so inclined, go for it!

Start by finely mincing the shallot. Shallot can be extremely pungent, so the finer, the better. You want it almost paste-like.

Put it into the jar (or a bowl). Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. I used a pomegranate balsamic which was phenomenal. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

If using a jar, give this a good shake. If using a bowl, whisk well with a fork or whisk.

Making the dressing first allows the shallot to soften with the acidity of the vinegar.

STEP 2 | SALAD

As for the salad, it's really just about preparing the fresh ingredients into bite-size pieces.

Pull apart the leaves of the endives (leaving the roots). Divide evenly into 2 bowls or plates. I layered them all facing the same direction.

Slice the pear into 4 pieces, leaving the core and seeds (or most of them, at least). Then thinly slice each piece. Layer in between the endive leaves.

Next, cut open the pomegranate. Carefully cut off the very top and bottom of the pomegranate. Then, slice the skin from the top opening to the bottom opening, following the white membranes that you see at the top.

You'll be able to pull away the large sections of the pomegranate. Start plucking out the seeds.

You can do this in a bowl of cool water to keep the juices from spraying everywhere.

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds onto each salad.

Roughly crumble chunks of blue cheese from the wedge (using your fingers) onto each salad. It's always better to buy wedges of cheese because pre-crumbled cheese looses its moisture and texture quickly.

Next, we'll toast the walnuts. This intensifies their aromas, as well as adding a gentle smoky flare which is delicious with all the fresh sweetness of this salad.

Heat the pan on low/medium, and toast the walnuts until just slightly charred. They burn quickly, so be sure to keep a close eye on them.

Sprinkle on top of each salad.

Finally, it's time for dressing & garnish.

Pour the dressing evenly over each salad. Remove the thyme leaves from each stem, and sprinkle of top of the salads.

Enjoy right away!

FAQ

DO I NEED TO TOAST THE WALNUTS?

No! You don’t have to toast the walnuts, but they’re better if you do. Raw walnuts are delicious, too.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF THYME?

Finely minced rosemary would be a nice substitute.