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CASTELFRANCO SALAD WITH PEARS

AND BLUE CHEESE

It is hardly correct to pair a Venetian salad with a French

cheese, but no blue cheese tastes quite like Roquefort in a

salad. If using a richer and creamier blue cheese it may be

necessary to up both the salt and the vinegar in the

dressing. Apples will serve in place of pears.

Cut the Castelfranco in half down through the root and cut

in half again. Cut away the root and stalk holding the

leaves together, then cut each segment in half again to

produce lots of bite-sized pieces. Wash in a large bowl of

very cold water, then spin-dry before tipping into a large

salad bowl.

Peel the pears and roll them in the lemon juice. Halve

the pears and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon, then

slice them not too thinly and return them to the lemon

juice. Cut the cheese as best you can and distribute over

the salad in the bowl.

Whisk the salt, pepper and vinegar together in a bowl

until the salt is dissolved, then whisk in the olive oil. Drain

the pears of their lemon juice and distribute on top of the

salad. Pour over the dressing and toss the salad at the

table. Taste the leaves: they may need more seasoning or

a bit more oil for lubrication.

Serves four to six.

1 large head of Castelfranco

radicchio

3 large ripe pears

juice of 1 lemon

150g (5½oz) Roquefort cheese

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground

black pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons best-quality

olive oil

WINE: A little caution is required. Like most fruit, pears

can strip out the fruitiness of a wine, making reds seem

astringent. Blue cheese is hardly better news, and will kill

delicate, mineral styles of white if they lack acidity. Staying

within the terroir, I suggest a richer style of Friuli white,

either a Friulano or a good ‘gris’ style of Pinot Grigio.

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