An autumnal Roquefort salad with pear, apple and toasted walnuts all combined with a light vinaigrette dressing to complement the blue cheese. For Vegetarians, replace Roquefort with Stilton or Dolcelatte.
1appleorganic (Granny, Gala, Pink Lady, Cox's pippin or Braeburn)
1avocadoripe (thinly sliced)
1tablespoonpomegranate seeds, a fresh fig (for decor)optional
Salad Dressing
15ml (1 tbsp)cider vinaigrebest quality
30ml (2 tbsp)walnut oilbest quality
1tablespoonlemon juice
1teaspoonfresh chivesfinely cut
¼teaspoonfreshly ground pepper
Instructions
In a non-stick pan, toast the walnut kernels without any oil for about 5 minutes or until toasted and leave to cool.This can be done a few days in advance and stored in a sealed jam jar.
Wash and dry the salad leaves and apple and pear (or peel if you prefer without the skin). Arrange on serving plate(s) with the walnuts and crumble over the Roquefort cheese.
Slice the avocado, pear and apple and place evenly over the salad dish(es).
Salad Dressing
Whisk or stir all the ingredients vigorously with the finely chopped chives. There's no need to add any salt. Dribble the dressing over the salad just before serving.
Notes
Serve immediately. If entertaining, prepare the salad individually on plates with the walnuts in advance then slice the avocado, apple and pear nearer serving time and top with the dressing. Garnish with pomegranate seeds or sliced beetroot to add a bit of festive colour in the winter months.Vegan Version: This recipe can easily be made vegan by replacing the cheese with a vegan 'cheese' (known as faux-mage in France), available from health food stores.Wine: serve with fruity chilled white, ideally from the Auvergne region (the origin of the cheese) or a Côte de Rhone, Marsanne, Voignier or Minervois. For a more classic with Roquefort on special occasions, serve with a Sauternes, Loupiac or Montbazillac. Otherwise delicious served with a dry cider (Cidre brut).Nutritional information: 10g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 39g lipids, glycemic index: 5.