I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

September 2, 2013

Grilled Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad with Truffled Honey Dressing




It's finally getting warm enough for salads again!


But a warm salad is still the best of both worlds until the Spring weather settles in for good, and with stone fruit still a while away yet Pears seemed the perfect choice. Deeper flavours match beautifully with pears, and as I was lucky enough to snatch up some glorious goat cheese at the markets I was good to go and ready to lighten up my lunch
Don't worry though, this salad isn't really as cheffy as it sounds and won't take long at all to throw together. Of course you can use any blue cheese you like, and the honey can be any one you have on hand- don't let any of the specialised sounding ingredients put you off this yummy salad, it will still taste pretty special indeed




For two serves:

Nice Firm Pear
about 50gm Blue Goat Cheese- I used Udder Delights
Handful of Walnuts
Big handful of mixed Salad Leaves
1 slice gluten free Bread
1 clove Garlic
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Truffle Honey- or another strong flavoured honey will do



Grill or toast your slice of bread, then rub it lightly with the clove of garlic. This will give a gorgeous, gentle, garlicky touch to the salad without overpowering it




Tear it up into nice chunky croutons- I like the rough, rustic look




Cut the pear into fairly thin slices- this is just one pear here. Then quickly drizzle it with olive oil before it goes brown and oxidises




Grill the pear slices on either side until they are just softened and have lovely scorched stripes across them. Don't over cook them though, or they will just go mushy and disintegrate when you fiddle around with them later




Toast off your walnuts to intensify the flavours and make them nice and crunchy




Crumble up the cheese into nice big chunks. The easiest way to do this is to twist a knife in the cheese and it should just flake apart




Make a dressing with a ratio of about 3:1 oil to lemon juice, a vinegar base would be too strong on this salad as it's already so full of flavour. Add a good teaspoon or so to taste of the honey, a bit of salt if needed- but don't forget the cheese is quite salty- and mix well




Full of truffley yummies!




Pop all of the ingredients except the pear into a bowl




Drizzle on the dressing and toss gently until nicely coated




Place a nice big pile of the salad on your serving plate- mound it up nice and high




Drape artistically with pear slices and make it all look pretty




So yummy- SWEETness from the pears and honey, SOURness in the lemon dressing, a slight BITTERness from the greens and walnuts, SALT and UMAMI from the creamy blue cheese. CRUNCH from the nuts and croutons and CREAMiness from the cheese- this is one of those salads that has it all!

I guess if you really wanted to add something to make this more of a main course salad for someone like BigJ who needs meat at every meal, I would serve it with a few slices of rare roast beef draped through as well- but that's strictly for carnivores only



So Dear Readers, what do you like in a salad, and would you need meat in this one to make you happy?





25 comments:

  1. Wow the flavours and presentation look SO fantastic. I have to make this next time I have people over. It's creative, different but still comforting. Am sure everyone will enjoy this -- thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Winston! I really hope you like it as much as I do, let me know how it works out :)

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  2. This is a glorious salad for the first bits of Spring. It's been warm for the past week or so and all I want are salads.

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    1. Thanks Maureen! You've had some very nice weather already up there :)

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  3. Bec, this is a beautiful recipe, truly delicious! And perfect for this time of the year. xo

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    1. Thanks Lizzie, I really loved this dish :) I hope Spring is finally here for good!

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  4. Just the perfect combination of flavours, I adore pears with blue cheese and walnut, and the truffle honey is a brilliant addition! Thanks Becca! xx

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    1. Why thankyou sweetie! That truffle honey is just amazing indeed, I'll have to order some more soon. I could just eat it by the spoonful :) xox

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  5. You're so right, it is salad weather! Actually it wasn't too bad a winter so I was eating salad but this is a great idea! :D

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    1. Thai beef salad is a firm family favourite with us Lorraine, but strictly for warm weather! Sydney is always milder than here you lucky things! Xox

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  6. such a wonderful classic combination of flavours - that work so gosh-damn well!

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    1. Thanks Lisa! You can't beat a classic- unless you add truffles! :)

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  7. oh hell no! No meat needed :-)
    It's good to think about salads again with the warmer weather.

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    1. I agree Brydie! He can have his on the side if he must. The only meat free meal BigJ will eat is tomato soup- but he still puts cheese in it to make it more 'filling' :)

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  8. This sounds like such a great salad. It hits all the right notes for me, especially the combination of salty with sweet. Love, too, that you included roasted walnuts. With our pears just coming into season, I need to make this. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.

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    1. Thanks John, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! It's nearly stone fruit season here- I can hardly wait :)

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  9. YUM!!!
    What an amazing salad!
    I love summer because I love eating this style of food. Your truffled honey would be amazing in this!!

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    1. Thanks sweetie! I love Summer and salad too :) Remember the honey from Lorraine's book launch? You can get it from Tania at Lario's if you want some... It's sooo good!

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  10. That's a very yummy looking salad. I love the combination of blue cheese and pears. Pears are still good at this time of the year so I'll rush to make this before the stone fruit takes over. When that does happen I imagine this would also be good with nectarines? xx

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    1. Ooh nectarines, great idea Charlie! Figs would be good too... but figs are good with everything right :) xox

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  11. I don't 'do' salads with fruit in, but Emm made me try one as a test for her new book. It was delicious - and yours sounds good too. I think I might have to try it :-)

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    1. But tomatoes are fruit Janet :) Maybe we can convert you! I made something yummy for Emm as well, and can hardly wait to see her finished cookbook either!

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  12. Wow - what an absolutely gorgeous salad. I've never thought about charring the pears, but they look lovely and I'll bet they taste just that little bit sweeter too! Clever, clever you!

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    1. Thanks Amanda! Grilling the pears does make them sweeter, and just takes the salad up a notch too :)

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  13. Flavor loaded, goodness stuffed sandwich :) Great stuff!
    The idea of grilling the slices of pears is handsdown brilliant!
    Many thanks for the recipe and honest, cute pictures :)

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