Name: Pear, date & walnut salad with creamy stilton dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 ripe pears , quartered and cored, peel left on -; juice 1 lime -; 100g crème fraîche -; 300g stilton , crumbled, room temperature -; 1-2 tbsp ginger syrup (from a jar of ginger in syrup) -; 100g pack broken walnuts -; 12 dates (Medjool are good), stoned and chopped -; walnut oil , for drizzling -; 225g bag mixed salad leaves -; 1 large watercress , divided into sprigs -

Ingredients for - Pear, date & walnut salad with creamy stilton dressing

1. 3 ripe pears , quartered and cored, peel left on

2. juice 1 lime

3. 100g crème fraîche

4. 300g stilton , crumbled, room temperature

5. 1-2 tbsp ginger syrup (from a jar of ginger in syrup)

6. 100g pack broken walnuts

7. 12 dates (Medjool are good), stoned and chopped

8. walnut oil , for drizzling

9. 225g bag mixed salad leaves

10. 1 large watercress , divided into sprigs

How to cook deliciously - Pear, date & walnut salad with creamy stilton dressing

1 . Stage

Cut the pear quarters into thin slices and toss in a bowl with the lime juice to help protect their natural colour. Blend the crème fraîche with half the stilton, ginger syrup to taste, and enough water (3-4 tbsp) to give a smooth, thick coating consistency. (Don’t add too much water or it may separate.)

2 . Stage

Scatter the pear slices over six serving plates and follow with the walnuts, dates and remaining cheese. Can be prepared to this stage up to an hour ahead.

3 . Stage

Drizzle each salad with a little of the dressing and some walnut oil. Season with a grinding of pepper – you shouldn’t need salt, as the cheese is salty. Mix the salad leaves and watercress very lightly with just a bit more dressing – some leaves should be touched by the dressing, some untouched. Gently pile the leaves on top of each salad.