Green salad with pears, baked beets, caramelized walnuts & Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO

INGREDIENTS

400gr green and red lettuce leaves, beet leaves, spinach

7  beets of medium size

250gr Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO Kalogeraki

2  washed pears, without seeds, cut in fine slices

For the caramelized walnuts:

140gr walnuts

2 table spoons honey

1 table spoon butter

1/2 tea spoon salt

2-3 fresh rosemary twigs

For the dressing:

7 table spoons olive oil

4 table spoons balsamic vinegar

2-3 caramelized walnuts finely cut

5-6 fresh rosemary leaves

1/3 tea spoon salt

1 pinch of pepper

 

IMPLEMENTATION

Prepare the walnuts. In a pan add the butter with honey and salt in medium heat to melt, add instantly the walnuts and stir well. Take off the heat and put them on a pan with greaseproof paper (one by one), add the 2-3 fresh rosemary twigs in between and bake in 170C on air for 10'. Set aside to cool well before you use them.

Coat the beets with a bit of olive oil, salt and cover with aluminum foil. Put on a pan with greaseproof paper, bake in 200C for 30'-40' or until they soften.

When ready, carefuly extract the aluminum foil, peel off and cut in fine slices.

In a bowl add all the green leaves washed well and dried, on top add the pears and the beets here and there.

Add the Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO Kalogeraki in the salad (in spoonfulls) and the caramelized walnuts all around.

Prepare the dressing by shaking well all the ingredients in a jar. Set aside for 10' to allow a better mixing of all tastes.

Pour the dressing on salad and serve immediately!