Ginger Cookie and Cream Cheese Pear Salad |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes |
Ready In: 25 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Easy, flavorful and just so unique. This goes great with roasted pork, chops, grilled chicken, or just about anything. It makes a wonderful starter salad. I wish I knew who invented this, but looked around on the web and so so many versions. This - was the - base of this recipe and then a few changes. But it came from a small town Mississippi cookbook while visiting a few years ago. I love it. Ingredients:
4 pears, i like anjour pears (cored and cut into wedges, about 4 slices per half, leave the skin on) |
1/2 head romaine lettuce, rough chopped |
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, rough chopped |
4 ounces cream cheese, softened |
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise (no miracle whip or low fat) |
16 gingersnaps, not the soft cookies, the hard crispy ones (10 for the dressing, 6 for the garnish) |
1 cup chopped pecans |
2 teaspoons honey |
3 tablespoons orange juice |
1 tablespoon minced shallot, fine chopped |
Directions:
1. Gingersnaps - Just add all the cookies to a baggie and crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet. You can also use a food processor, but the baggie is so much easier. About 2/3 will go to the cream cheese dressing and 1/3 for a garnish. Just set to the side.
2. Cream Cheese Dressing - In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise and add 2/3 rd's of the ginger snaps, Mix well to combine. Set to the side room temperature.
3. Dressing - Mix the honey, orange juice and shallot. Once again, set to the side.
4. Pears - Peel the pears and cut into wedges.
5. Salad - In a medium size bowl, add the iceberg, romaine and a couple of tablespoons of the dressing and toss lightly.
6. Plating - For each plate, add the dressed lettuce, then top with 1 pear (or about 8 slices per plate) sliced in wedges and plated in a spiral around the center of the plate. Then, in the center add a spoon of the cream cheese mixture. Drizzle a little of the dressing over the pears and top with the chopped pecans and remaining gingerbread cookies.
7. ENJOY! It is a sweet starter salad but it is absolutely great with the tangy cream cheese.
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