This beautiful, gourmet poached pear salad features pears simmered French-style in red wine, honey, vanilla, and orange. The warm pears are served on a bed of arugula with fresh figs and blue cheese, and drizzled with my port wine vinaigrette, all of which come together to make my favourite winter salad in existence.
This salad is a dream for winter entertaining. The majority of the prep can be done ahead of time, then it's a cinch to throw together. Not to mention that it tastes absolutely amazing. The deeply flavourful port wine vinaigrette pairs perfectly with the figs and blue cheese. In fact, it was specifically created for this salad.
Ingredients
- Bosc pears - Don't be deceived by their rough-looking exterior. They have juicy flesh with a spicy-sweet flavour and are in season from late fall through the winter.
- Dry red wine - I use a Burgundy pinot noir; the same one I used to make the vinaigrette. You can enjoy drinking any leftovers.
- Water
- Honey
- Granulated sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Orange peel
- Ground black pepper
- Arugula
- Fresh figs
- Stilton - A delicious type of English blue cheese.
- Port wine vinaigrette
- Optional: Candied walnuts
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Gently peel the pears while being careful to leave the stems intact. Slice the pears in half vertically, then use a melon baller to scoop out the core where the seeds are.
Add the wine, water, honey, sugar, vanilla extract, ground black pepper, and piece of orange peel all into a large pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it down to a steady simmer. Add in the pears, insides facing upwards, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn the pears over and simmer them for another 10 minutes. They should be fork-tender at this point. Test by poking the outside part of the pear (the pear will be plated with that side facing down). Remove the pot from the heat, and let the pears sit in the poaching syrup for 20 minutes.
You can serve the pears warm straight out of the poaching syrup, or, if you plan to prepare this dish ahead of time, remove them from the syrup and store them covered in the fridge until later.
For this salad I created this beautiful port wine vinaigrette that you can either make ahead of time (it keeps in the fridge for up to a week) or while the pears are poaching. It takes just 15 minutes.
Create a bed of arugula on your serving plates, and top them with pieces of cut fresh figs and large crumbles of Stilton. Place a half pear (warm or chilled) on top.
Drizzle generously with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Equipment
I used a melon baller to remove the core of the pears where the seeds are. You could also do this using a large, metal measuring spoon with sharp edges.
Buy Now → 
Storage
The poached pears can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The vinaigrette will keep stored the same way for up to a week.
How to make ahead
To make ahead for serving later, poach the pears and remove them from the poaching syrup, and make the vinaigrette. Store in the fridge until needed. Then simply plate the salad and you are good to go.
Print📖 Recipe
Poached Pear Salad with Port Wine Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: French
Description
These delicious, gourmet French red wine poached pears are complimented perfectly by my flavourful port wine vinaigrette, fresh figs, and blue cheese. This is the winter salad to impress with this holiday season.
Ingredients
Poached Pears:
2 Bosc pears *
1 ½ cups dry red wine (I use a Burgundy pinot noir)
½ cup water
¼ cup honey
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
large piece of orange peel
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad:
arugula
fresh figs, cut into pieces
Stilton blue cheese
optional: candied walnuts
Instructions
Gently peel the pears while being careful to leave the stems intact. Slice the pears in half vertically, then use a melon baller to scoop out the core where the seeds are.
Add the wine, water, honey, sugar, vanilla extract, ground black pepper, and piece of orange peel all into a large pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it down to a steady simmer. Add in the pears, insides facing upwards, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn the pears over and simmer them for another 10 minutes. They should be fork-tender at this point. Test by poking the outside part of the pear (the pear will be plated with that side facing down). Remove the pot from the heat, and let the pears sit in the poaching syrup for 20 minutes. You can serve the pears warm now, or chill them covered in the fridge if you intend to make this salad later.
For this salad I created this beautiful port wine vinaigrette that you can either make ahead of time (it keeps in the fridge for up to a week) or while the pears are poaching. It takes just 15 minutes.
Create a bed of arugula on your serving plates, and top them with pieces of cut fresh figs and large crumbles of Stilton. Place a half pear (warm or chilled) on top.
Drizzle generously with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
You can serve the pears warm straight out of the poaching syrup, or, if you plan to prepare this dish ahead of time, remove them from the syrup and store them covered in the fridge until later.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 513
- Sugar: 23.5 g
- Sodium: 596.6 mg
- Fat: 41.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Protein: 6.6 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
Erin says
Made this and it turned out beautifully. Will make it again.
Asha says
That's great to hear. Thanks!
Tamara says
Had to try this salad with the port wine vinaigrette.
Refreshing and perfect to show off to my friends.
Asha says
Thank you, this has to be one of my absolute favourite salads.
Samantha says
I'm in love - gonna be my summer fav.
Asha says
Thank you!
Sandra says
Thanks for this. Whole family loves it.
Asha says
Amazing! Thank you
Bev says
Bursting with flavor.
Asha says
Thank you!
Rachelle says
Delightful - every bite.
Asha says
Thank you!
Amara says
Magical combo
Asha says
Thanks!
Joy says
I made this salad on the weekend and am in love with it and the vinaigrette.
Asha says
Thank you, I'm so glad you liked it.
Neil says
Great salad. Will be making this often.
Asha says
Thanks! Glad you like it 🙂
Dan says
Great tasting salad.
Asha says
Thank you!
John says
Excellent recipe. One of the best salads I’ve had! Thanks for sharing!
Asha says
Thanks so much ❤️
Juanita says
My goodness. Made this on the weekend. In love.
Asha says
Thank you ❤️