Pear Harvest Salad with Hazelnuts & Brie

If you want a fail-proof salad formula, with no recipe, just take a bed of greens and add a fruit, a nut, and a cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette. This salad is a perfect proof point for that formula (which really never fails).

Happen to be planning your Thanksgiving menu? With pears, brie, and hazelnuts this dish fits right in. Looking for more of a salad-for-lunch kind of situation? Add cooked farro, which will add some heft.

Pear Harvest Salad with Hazelnuts & Brie

Published November 13, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2-4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

3-4 cups baby arugula

1 ripe bosc pear

1/4 cup raw hazelnuts

1/4 cup brie, sliced into bite-sized pieces

1/4 tablespoons dried cranberries

1/4 cup cooked and cooled farro, wheat berries or brown quinoa

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

Generous pinch salt

Several cracks of black pepper, plus more for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 300°F and spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Place pan in oven, and toast nuts for 10-15 minutes, checking frequently. The nut should be golden brown (the papery skin will be dark, and begin to blister). Remove nuts from oven, and place in a cloth kitchen towel. Rub nuts in the towel to remove the papery skins (some won’t come off, but it’s fine). Set aside to cool completely.
2. While the hazelnuts toast, place arugula in a serving bowl.
3. Slice the pear in half. Cut off the stem, and remove the seedy center. Slice pear into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Arrange pears over top of the arugula.
4. Top with dried cranberries, farro, and pieces of brie.
5. When hazelnuts are cooled, scatter over the salad.
6. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of pepper to a jar/container with a lid. Place lid on jar, and shake to combine.
7. When ready to serve, drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

Nutty Maple Baked Brie

We're not much for formal get-togethers, typically just telling everyone "come on over, we'll make [fill in the blank here]." And with that our friends will join us, bringing along more food to share, or drinks, as if it is a potluck, though no one named it such. I find this makes home feel even more like home: warm, relaxed, and comfortable. 

Some times I get a recipe fit for a party in my head, so I'll whip it up but the surroundings rarely change. To me baked brie has always been a little on the fancy side when it comes to appetizers, but not because it's difficult to make. On the contrary, it's one of the simplest appetizers you can make, and it comes out of the oven looking rich and ready to die for (I mean, it is melted cheese, after all). 

For guests I'll serve baked brie with crackers, but I myself enjoy spreading the stuff on pear and apple slices--the sweet & savory combination has me hooked. Plus, this baked brie is topped with a fruit and nut mix (which makes it really easy to make) and also lends it's self particularly well to being spread on pear slices. 

And I know, I know, this recipe is not the *most* resolution friendly, but maybe your New Years resolution is to spend more time with people you love? In which case this one is perfect. Or perhaps you're resolution free this year, and if that's the case, dive right in!

Made in Nature provided me with product, but the recipe and opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! Made In Nature helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going. I only work with brands that I truly enjoy and use.  

Nutty Maple Baked Brie

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    |   

With only three ingredients, this brie is party ready in a few minutes!

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 whole round of brie
• 4 ounces of your favorite fruit & nut mix— I used the Maple Balsamic Mix from Made in Nature and it paired really well with the cheese!
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350°F. Place cheese in baking dish.
2. Pile fruit and nut mix over cheese, and drizzle with maple syrup. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is soft but not melted.
3. Serve: my favorite things to serve this with include slices of pears and apples, crackers/pretzels, and sliced carrots or cucumbers.