Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

This is a salad of my own devising, based on a few similar recipes I have seen around - and one in particular in a random salad recipe book, although they said to put in pasta which I don't think would work very well. In any case, this was very tasty - the crunchy nuts, strong tasting stilton, and the salad leaves combined very well together. I added in the watercress for a bit of a spicy peppery flavour as well. If possible, try and use the salad leaves that come with finely grated beetroot included - the colour is amazing and livens up the salad immensely.

Ingredients

• 2 pears
• Lemon juice
  
• 100 g bag mixed crunchy salad leaves - the one with beetroot in it
• 50 g bag watercress
• 150 g stilton
• 50 g walnuts
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 6 basil leaves
• 1 carrot

Core the pears and cut into chunks. Now coat them in lemon juice to prevent them from browning. The acidity of the lemon juice acts as a preservative to stop the pears oxidising.

Cut the stilton into little cubes, although depending on how crumbly your cheese is you may find it easier to just kind of crumble it into the salad.

Peel and grate the carrot. In a large salad bowl, combine with the pears, walnuts, salad leaves, basil and stilton cheese.

Mix the olive oil and vinegar together to make the dressing, along with some salt and pepper. Now pour over the salad and mix into all the leaves. Serve immediately.