Memorable Quotes:

“A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” — Fernand Point

Salad of Arugula, Pears Poached in Red Wine, Parmesan Crisps and Walnut Vinaigrette

An elegant salad of peppery arugula and frisée with Shiraz-and-Port poached pears, toasted walnuts and crisp Parmesan wafers. A simple shallot vinaigrette balances the richness, while a reduction of the pear-poaching liquid provides a dramatic finishing touch.

Salad of Arugula and Poached Pears

Servings: 4
Prep Time: About 30 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the Poached Pears:

  • 4 Beurre Bosc pears, peeled with stems attached
  • 1 bottle (750 mL) Shiraz
  • 13½ fluid ounces (375 mL) Port

For the Salad:

  • 14 ounces arugula
  • 7 ounces frisée lettuce
  • ¼ bunch fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped (about ½ cup or 15 grams)
  • 1½ cups (150 grams) walnuts, toasted

For the Parmesan Wafers:

  • ¾ cup (55 grams) shredded Parmesan cheese

For the Dressing:

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup grapeseed oil
  • ¼ cup walnut oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Prepare the Poached Pears:

  1. Using a melon baller, carefully remove the core from the base of each pear while keeping the pear intact.
  2. Combine the Shiraz and Port in a large saucepan.
  3. Add the pears and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
  4. Simmer for about 50 minutes, or until the pears are tender.
  5. Remove the pears and set aside, reserving the poaching liquid.
  6. Transfer 1 cup (250 mL) of the reserved poaching liquid to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Set aside.

Toast the Walnuts:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5–7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the Parmesan Wafers:

  1. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat.
  3. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the mat, forming a thin rectangle approximately 13 x 9 inches.
  4. Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the cheese is lacy and golden.
  5. Allow to cool completely, then break into large irregular pieces.

Prepare the Dressing:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the shallot and white wine vinegar.
  2. Whisk continuously while slowly adding the grapeseed and walnut oils.
  3. Whisk in the water and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Assemble the Salad:

  1. Combine the arugula, frisée and parsley and toss with just enough dressing to lightly coat.
  2. Divide the greens among four serving plates and arrange a poached pear on each plate.
  3. Add pieces of Parmesan wafer and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.
  4. Drizzle a small amount of the reduced Shiraz-Port syrup around each plate and serve.

Tip: The original recipe lists the walnut-roasting temperature as 350°C and the Parmesan-wafer temperature as 400°C. Those temperatures are clearly inconsistent with the stated cooking times and would be far too hot for a conventional oven. I have treated them as 350°F and 400°F, respectively. Also, I would dress the greens rather than toss the delicate whole poached pears in the vinaigrette.

Source: Curtis Stone