Pear and Brie Salad

 

Memories – Summer 2015

Reaching Montreal

It was our second trip to Montreal and obviously I was excited to spend a whole month with my son. As soon as we reached his home, it was ‘mum you rest, you must be tired after the long flight’ (14 hrs in flight and countless hours at the airports!). However this resting bit didn’t last too long. By evening he was reminding me first use up this and that. My ‘lack of sleep’ head could not register much. In that list was brie cheese. A few days later, he reminded me to use the brie cheese before it dries up or gets spoilt. I remembered the pear and brie salad I had enjoyed in Dubai. Had brie in the fridge but no pears or salad greens.

Jean Talon Market

So off it was to Jean Talon Market to buy the pears and salad greens. From my son’s place it is a good 30 minute walk. Its summer and we love that walk. Truthfully, hubby loves it more for the walk and I because I get to visit the vibrant colourful Jean Talon Market. They have quaint cafes, eateries within the market and around it. Hubby and I have lunch there, more specifically the delicious buckwheat crepes, shop and then walk back home.

Shopping

Shopping at the market is a delight… fruits, vegetables, herbs, plants, meat, fish, nuts, cheeses, wines etc etc.. the list is endless. We’d want to buy all the fruits and vegetables available but had to hold ourselves back. Why?? Well who would carry so much? Remember we have to walk back home with the load. So hubby’s take was buy what you need for 2 days and then we will come back. Don’t know if the veggies and fruits are cheaper at the market or the supermarket. However, we love to go to the market.

What we also enjoy is sampling the fruits. The sellers would cut up the fruits into slices and put it on a plate for everyone to sample.  We were lucky to enjoy fruits which we don’t get in Kenya readily – nectarines, apricots, peaches, cherries. Had plums too but must admit I love the ones that are grown in Kenya and Tanzania, they are much juicer, sweeter and nicer. Carried some cherries, nectarines, salad greens and pears. (We got Bartlett ones.) In Winter we get Bosc variety.

 

Present Time

Fast forward to 2023, I made this salad for our New Year Eve Party. I either make individual portions to serve as a starter or in one big plate to enjoy as a side dish. I had cranberry sauce left over from Christmas and used it up to make a pretty pink, sweet and tangy salad dressing.

You can serve it with

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Orange Vinaigrette

Lemon Za’atar Dressing

Some More Salad Recipes

Sharing This Recipe With Foodies_ Redoing Old Posts

When I made the cranberry salad dressing, it had to go with a salad. So I opted to redo the Pear And Brie Salad. Now if like hubby and me you love the flavour of the creamy brie, then you’ll love this salad. Actually Brie tends to pair so well with fruits and fruit jams/jellies. After having made it during my first visit to Montreal, never got the opportunity to make it till now. India and Kenya are not the best places for good quality brie cheese unless you visit a gourmet shop. Here in Magog, the choice is Brie is enormous and it can get a bit confusing.

The recipe was first posted on 11/07/2015. Posting an updated version on 26/01/2024

Ingredients Required For Pear And Brie Salad

Pears

For this recipe I have used 2 pears. Depending on the quantity you want to make, add more or less pears. If I make this salad as a light lunch option then I usually use one pear per person.

Brie Cheese

Buy good quality brie cheese or your favourite.

Salad Greens

I use mixed greens, arugula, baby spinach or sometimes butter lettuce. As such there is no fixed measurement for the amount of greens you can add to the salad. I like a generous amount per person.

Nuts

Roasted or candied pecans or walnuts pair very well with salad, adding a bit of crunch. I prefer roasted walnuts or pecans. Either toast them in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave oven. Put them on a microwave oven friendly plate and toast them for 2 minutes. Chop them up roughly. Don’t chop the nuts too finely.

Salad Dressing

Any salad dressing of your choice. I like to use fruity based dressings, homemade or ready made. I have this delicious raspberry vinaigrette that I was gifted. Love to use that. But when I served it for our New Year Eve Party I made Cranberry Salad Dressing and it paired so well with it.

 

 

 

Watch How To Make Pear Brie Salad And Cranberry Salad Dressing

 

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