Caramelized Maple Pear Salad with Candied Pecans and Blue Cheese

This delightful salad features caramelized pears, rich blue cheese, crunchy candied pecans, and savory bacon. Drizzled with maple Dijon vinaigrette and enhanced by butter-infused olive oil, it offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Visually stunning, this dish harmoniously blends sweet and savory elements, impressing guests and elevating everyday dining. Enjoy every bite!

Butter Olive Oil
Maple Balsamic Vinegar
Cinnamon Vanilla Maple Syrup

Ingredients

For the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil~ I used Arbequina
2 ½ Tbsp Maple Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp honey (if desired for added sweetness)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
 
For the Candied Pecans and Pears

3 Tbsp Butter Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Maple Balsamic Vinegar
1½ Tbsp Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup
½ cup pecans (walnuts work too)
2 pears, sliced, skin on. You decide how thick you want the pears here.

For the salad

Use your favorite salad lettuce blend (I used fresh butter lettuce from our local farmer’s market. It’s lettuce season!)
Blue Cheese Crumbles (I used our Point Reyes Bay Blue. You can also use parmesan or Gorgonzola)
Cooked bacon. (As we were eating this, I felt like the bacon was missing! That’s why it’s not in the picture)
Fleur de Sel Sea Salt for garnish

Preparation

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey (if using) in a bowl and whisk together to emulsify. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (about ¼ + ⅛ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper). Blend until emulsified, for about 20 seconds. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Candy the Pecans

In a medium skillet, add 2 tbsp Butter Olive Oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and 1 tbsp Maple Balsamic over medium heat. Mix well then and add pecans and cook, stirring constantly until caramelized, about 2 -3 minutes. Transfer to a plate in a single layer to cool.
In the same skillet, add remaining Butter Olive Oil, Maple Balsamic Vinegar, and Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup. Mix and add in the pears stirring to cover with the sauce. Cook down a few minutes until the sauce thickens and pears are warm.

Assemble the Salad

In a large bowl on top of lettuce, layer salad with sliced pears, blue cheese crumbles, candied pecans, and crumbled bacon. Drizzle the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette over the top and salt and pepper if desired and serve immediately. You could also toss the salad in the dressing if serving to a larger group. To make it a full meal, add a breast of chicken!