Pear Gorgonzola Fig Dressing (Printable Version)

Pear, gorgonzola, arugula, and spiced nuts are tossed with a vibrant vanilla fig dressing for a festive fall salad.

# Ingredients:

→ Spiced Nuts

01 - 120 g mixture of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pecans
02 - 30–45 ml pure maple syrup
03 - 0.5 g salt
04 - 1.5 g ground cinnamon
05 - 1.5 g ground cumin
06 - 0.5 g cayenne pepper

→ Vanilla Fig Dressing

07 - 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
08 - 37 ml balsamic vinegar
09 - 30 g fig jam
10 - 2.5 ml pure vanilla extract
11 - 3 g salt
12 - 3 g freshly ground black pepper

→ Salad

13 - 25 g red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 2 ripe pears, sliced
15 - 140 g baby arugula
16 - 85 g pomegranate seeds
17 - 50 g crumbled gorgonzola cheese
18 - 35 g dried currants (or dried cranberries or dried cherries)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 175°C. In a small bowl, combine seeds and nuts with maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. Toss well to coat. Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fig jam, vanilla extract, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large bowl, gently combine arugula, red onion, 60 g spiced nuts, pomegranate seeds, dried currants, and gorgonzola. Drizzle with the prepared dressing and toss lightly to coat.
04 - Carefully fold in sliced pears, mixing gently to keep the fruit intact.
05 - Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with additional spiced nuts, gorgonzola, and pomegranate seeds as desired. Serve immediately.

# Notes:

01 - Prepare all salad components ahead and toss with dressing only just before serving for optimal freshness.
02 - Use only half of the spiced nuts for the salad; reserve the remainder for garnish or snacking.