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Friday, August 29, 2008

Friday Food For Thought—Pear and Warm Brie Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

I absolutely adore this salad! The fresh fruit and mild flavor of the Brie are perfect together.

Salad
lettuce leaves (something dark green and leafy)
1/2 pound Brie cheese
2 ripe pears
1/4 cup fresh raspberries, whole

Dressing
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh raspberries, mashed
Arrange several lettuce leaves on each of four salad plates. Any dark green lettuce is preferable to iceberg lettuce.

Wash the pears, slice them in half lengthwise and remove the core. Slice each pear half into thin slices.

Warm the Brie on an open baking dish in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes, or wrap it loosely in plastic wrap and microwave for about 45 seconds at the medium setting.

Slice the warm Brie. Alternate the pear and cheese slices (half a pear and one-quarter of the Brie) on the lettuce leaves. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with a few whole raspberries.

This is great to serve as a first course. It looks like something you’d get in a restaurant, so your guests are sure to be impressed!

Until next time,
Lee

Note: You can use raspberry-flavored vinegar if you have it. I find the white wine vinegar works just as well, especially when blended with the fresh berries. You can also use fresh blackberries when they’re in season.

2 comments:

Gillian Layne said...

Sounds amazing. You know, I don't think I've ever had Brie. I came into cheese later in life; couldn't stand it as a child.

Thanks for the recipie!

Lee McKenzie said...

Gillian, Brie is a wonderful cheese - soft, spreadable, mild flavored - that blends equally well with sweet fruit flavors and savory herbs.

I know what you mean about not liking cheese as a child. I grew up with Velveeta and Cheez Whiz. Thank goodness our culinary trends have expanded since those days!