Poached Pear Salad Recipe

Prepare pears

Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Trim a small slice off the base so each pear stands upright.

Make poaching liquid

In a wide saucepan combine red wine, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir to dissolve sugar.

Poach pears

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add pears standing upright so they are mostly submerged (rotate if necessary). Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until pears are tender when pierced with a knife, 20–30 minutes depending on ripeness.

Cool in liquid

Remove pan from heat and allow pears to cool in the poaching liquid to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes) to absorb color and flavor. For deeper color, refrigerate in liquid for 2–4 hours or overnight.

Reserve syrup

Carefully remove pears from liquid and set aside on a cutting board. Strain and reserve 1/4 cup of the poaching syrup for use in the vinaigrette if desired; refrigerate extra syrup for another use.

In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add pecans and granulated sugar and stir constantly until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer pecans to a baking sheet lined with parchment, spreading into a single layer. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and let cool completely. Break into clusters if stuck together.

In a jar or small bowl combine sherry vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Whisk to dissolve. While whisking, slowly stream in olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning; if you want more pear flavor, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon reserved poaching syrup. Refrigerate until ready to use; shake or whisk again before serving.

Slice each poached pear into 6–8 wedges (or halve and core for presentation) just before assembling so they retain shape and color.

In a large bowl, gently toss spring mix with about half of the cinnamon vinaigrette to lightly coat (reserve remaining dressing for guests). Arrange dressed greens on individual plates or a shared platter.

Fan pear wedges over the greens. Scatter crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese and candied pecans over the salad. Garnish with microgreens or fresh herbs if using. Drizzle additional vinaigrette to taste and serve immediately.