Pear, Blue Cheese and Croutes Salad - by Sarah Taylor
This salad uses a very special combination of baby spinach, blue cheese, grapes and pears. If you can get hold of some French ficelle bread then it makes it a perfect treat.
Ingredients for the croutes
- 100g ficelle or ciabatta bread
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and ground black pepper
- a few fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs
For the salad
- 2 tablespoons sweet mustard dressing
- 100g baby spinach leaves
- 50g Roquefort, Stilton or other firm blue cheese, crumbled
- 50g red seedless grapes, halved
- 1 ripe pear, cored and sliced
Cooking instructions
Preheat the over to 400°F (200°C)
First make the croutes. Cut the bread into thin slices and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, add a little rosemary and thyme.
Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and cook the croutes for about 10 minutes, or until the bread is golden.
Pour the mustard dressing into a large bowl, add the spinach, cheese, grapes and pears and lightly toss. Place the dressed salad into bowls and top with the croutes.
