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    Home > Meal Type > Appetizers and Starters

    Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad

    Updated: Dec 21st 2018 β€’ Published: Oct 26th 2017 β€’ 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe SaveSaved!
    Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad on a rectangular white plate. With name of the dish above.

    This Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad is stunning in every way! Delicious and beautiful, it can be prepared ahead of time making it perfect for entertaining.

    Over head shot of the red wine poached pears on a rectangle narrow lipped white plate.

    I just love the colour in this Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad! The deep burgundy of the wine poached pears, the pop of green peppery watercress (although arugula works just as well) and then the white of the goats cheese (or you could use feta).

    close up on the dark burgundy colour of the poached pears.

    This salad is beautiful to look at and oh some yummy to eat! There is something so satisfying about a dish that looks as delicious and it tastes. They make the perfect dishes for entertaining. Simple to make, stunning to look at and amazing to eat.

    And it doesn't get much simpler than thisΒ Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad. The pears are poached in a red wine mixture that has is spiced with the flavours of mulled wine. The sweetness and aromatic spices work amazingly with the salty goats cheese.

    Full table shot showing the salad, white linen napkin and silver cutlery.

    Once the pears have been poached they can sit in the cooled poaching liquid for up to 24 hours. Perfect for preparing ahead of time! So serve thisΒ Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad as an appetizer next time you have friends for dinner and enjoy the praise that follows.

    After these poached pears I would suggest a main course of perfectly cooked steak, a pat of red wine and shallot butter, withΒ hedgehog potatoes and roasted mushrooms on the side. YUM!

    split photo showing a dinner party menu pf steak with red wine butter, hedgehog potatoes and roasted mushrooms.

    If you love poached pears then why not try these Pears Poached in Tokaj wine with golden raisins and cardamom, from my friend Brian over at Krumpli.
    Don't they look delish!!! That is Chantilly cream on top....DROOL!

    Wine poached pears with golden raisins on a blue and white plate.

    p.s Tokaj wine is anΒ Hungarian dessert wine. Something Brian knows a lot about.....because he lives in Hungry not because he likes a drop of wine πŸ˜‰
    Pop on over and say hi, he has beautiful photos and amazing recipes.

    Enjoy x


    If you love this recipe for Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad why notΒ pin it for later.
    Come play onΒ Pinterest!
    I share a lot of food!!!! And quite a lot of other stuff! Come find me today x

    Also find me on:
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    Let's share the food love and make the world a tastier placeΒ πŸ™‚

    Square photo, over head of pears on white plate with green watercress.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad

    This Spiced Poached Pears and Goats Cheese Salad is stunning in every way! Delicious and beautiful, it can be prepared ahead of time making it perfect for entertaining.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Modern Australian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 572kcal
    Author: Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
    For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout
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    Ingredients

    • 2 cups red wine
    • Β½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cinnamon quill
    • 2 star anise
    • 3 cardamon pods
    • 1 lemon
    • 4 firm pears
    • β…“ cup chopped walnuts
    • ΒΌ cup olive oil
    • 2 cups watercress
    • 1 cup baby spinach
    • 2 goats cheese logs (9oz/240g total weight)

    Instructions

    • Pour the red wine into a sauce pan, add the sugar, cinnamon, star anise,carsamon pods and a strip of the lemon peel.
    • Stir it slowly over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
    • Peel the pears, cut them in half and use a teaspoon to remove the core.
    • Poach them in the wine for 10 minutes or until just tender.
    • Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the poaching liquid.
    • Mix the olive oil and the juice from the lemon together. Add a tablespoon of the pouching liquid and then seasoning the dressing with salt and pepper.
    • Use about half of the dressing to coat the watercress and spinach and arrange it on 4 plates.
    • Top each plate with two pear halves.
    • Crumble over the goats cheese.
    • Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts and serve with the remaining dressing.

    Notes

    Nutritional information is based on not all of the wine being used in the final dish.
    Β 
    Β 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sprinklesandsprouts or tag #sprinklesandsprouts

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. 1a-jay says

      September 07, 2022 at 3:44 am

      So, I hate when people do this and yet I’m doing it. I was looking to make a cold fall appetizer to bring to a moms group. Found a poached pear wedges, goat cheese and basil wrapped in prosciutto recipe then found this recipe. I like your poaching recipe waaay better!!! Thinking of adding the walnuts to the goat cheese, using your poaching recipe and then wrapping in prosciutto. I don’t usually go rogue like this. What do you think? Do I have to remove the skin when poaching?

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        September 13, 2022 at 9:02 am

        Hi,
        Experimentation is where some of the best recipes come from πŸ™‚ so I say go for it!

        I always remove the skin before poaching as I find when I poach pears with their skins it starts to peel off anyway and just looks unattractive.
        I think the pears could definitely work being wrapped in prosciutto, I think it would work well with the slightly sweet winey pears.
        I am funny about having a crunchy element mixed within something smooth, so I wouldn't do the walnuts in the goats cheese, but that is just me (I don't eat nuts in my chocolate because I don't like the two textures) but that is a personal preference on texture πŸ˜‰ flavour wise it would most certainly work.

        Give it a go and see what happens, if it's a disaster, tell them it was a recipe you found online and you won't be making it again πŸ˜‰
        (Just don't tell them it was me!!!)

        Hope that sort of helps
        Cx

        Reply
    2. Brian Jones says

      March 02, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      Oi missus, stop downplaying my love of a drop of plonk πŸ˜‰ This is such a great sound recipe, love that we both chose to poach pears and came up with something so very different. Beautiful photography as ever too!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 05, 2018 at 8:11 am

        Hahaha, I had best change the post, I can't have your reputation tainted πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    3. Marie says

      March 02, 2018 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      What an elegant appetizer! Love the pairing of wine poached pears and goat cheese (along with peppery watercress and spinach). This looks absolutely delicious.

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 05, 2018 at 8:23 am

        Thank you Marie, it is such a flavour packed colourful salad πŸ˜€

        Reply
    4. Savita says

      March 02, 2018 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      Totally my kinda salad. Love the color on these pears. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 05, 2018 at 8:20 am

        They are so beautiful aren't the Savita

        Reply
    5. Lisa says

      March 02, 2018 at 11:46 am

      5 stars
      Love how gorgeous and elegant this salad is. Definitely making for my next girls dinner!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 05, 2018 at 8:20 am

        It is the perfect dish for a girls dinner, so pretty and more importantly packed with flavours πŸ˜€

        Reply
    6. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says

      March 02, 2018 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      My husband loves goat cheese so I think this would be the kind of salad he would get excited about! haha it looks so good!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 05, 2018 at 8:19 am

        I hope your hubby loves it Liz πŸ˜€

        Reply

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