Warm salad of blue vinney and pears

Serves 4

 

After a lot of research, the Davies family resurrected a 300-year-old recipe and have continued to make Dorset Blue Vinney on Woodbridge Farm, near Sturminster Newton, for almost 40 years. It has a wonderful creamy texture and mature blue cheese flavour which goes so well with fruit.

 

INGREDIENTS

100g smoked bacon, diced

1tbsp cider vinegar

1tsp clear honey

1tsp wholegrain mustard

3tbsp virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

100g washed baby spinach leaves

3 ripe pears, cored and sliced

140g Blue Vinney, diced

50g walnuts, chopped

 

METHOD

• Heat a small frying pan and cook the bacon for about 10 minutes until the fat runs and the bacon is crisp.

• Cool the pan to lukewarm, then add the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir well, scraping up any residue on the base of the pan. Stir in the oil, taste and season.

• Arrange the spinach over four serving plates, place the slices of pear on top and scatter over the cheese and walnuts.

• Finally, pour over the bacon dressing and serve.

 

Recipe taken from Flavours of England Soups and Starters, one of a 12-part series of books focusing on regional English dishes and providing an insight into English culinary traditions. Author Gilli Davies is a member of the Guild of Food Writers.