Pear & Radicchio Salad with Cranberry Dressing
This aesthetic salad is the perfect addition to any meal this autumn. Featuring a cranberry dressing, that offers a harmonious blend of fruity and zest. It will not only elevate this salad but leave you with surplus to be enjoyed on top your next salad adventure.Ingredients
Serves 4-6
2 medium heads radicchio
2 Bosc pears, cored and sliced into thin wedges
4 or 5 radishes, thinly sliced into rounds
1 cup (250 ml) packed mixed baby greens
Cranberry Dressing, make ahead, recipe follows
Herb-Crusted Cheese Balls, make ahead, recipe follows
¼ cup (60 ml) pine nuts, toasted
CRANBERRY DRESSING
3 tbsp (45 ml) dried cranberries
3 tbsp (45 ml) freshly boiled water
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid clover honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste
HERB-CRUSTED CHEESE BALLS
8 oz (227 g) ricotta cheese
2 tbsp (30 ml) cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) finely grated Parmesan
4 oz (113 g) blue cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp (45 ml) bread crumbs, plus extra if needed
1 tsp (5 ml) pink peppercorns, roughly crushed
1 cup (250 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from radicchio before roughly chopping or tearing leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large serving bowl along with pears, radishes and greens. Drizzle with about 3 tbsp (45 ml) dressing and toss to combine. Drizzle with more dressing if desired, then garnish with cheese balls and toasted pine nuts.
- CRANBERRY DRESSING
- In a blender, add cranberries, boiled water, honey, vinegar, mustard and olive oil. Let sit for 5 minutes, allowing cranberries to soften slightly. Blend, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of blender, until dressing is smooth and pink, about 3 minutes. If dressing is too thick, thin with 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) water. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, blending again to incorporate. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Makes about ½ cup (125 ml)
- HERB-CRUSTED CHEESE BALLS
- In a medium bowl with a wooden spoon, stir together ricotta and cream cheese until well combined. Add Parmesan, blue cheese and bread crumbs. The mixture should hold its shape, so add more bread crumbs if it seems too soft.
- In a small bowl, stir together pink peppercorns and chopped parsley.
- Roll tablespoons of cheese mixture into balls and then roll each ball in parsley mixture to coat. Transfer cheese balls to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Makes 20 cheese balls