This sweet and savory dish is phenomenal! Thank you to an old volume of Bon Appétit Magazine for the inspiration. I made a few minor changes to the original recipe to make it more to my liking. 

 

The dish goes well with chicken or pork. If you have leftovers, it is a perfect addition to a salad with greens and a little goat cheese. 

 

Yield, 2 servings

 

½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

3 Tbsp walnut oil

6 oz. thick-sliced bacon, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

4 large ripe but firm pears, quartered and seeds removed

Salt and pepper

 

In a small skillet on medium heat, toast the walnuts, occasionally stirring so they don’t burn. They are ready when you begin to smell their fragrance. Remove the walnuts from the skillet and let cool. Chop the walnuts and set aside. 

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. 

 

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add the bacon. Cook and stir until the bacon is crisp and golden brown. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate covered with a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon fat from the skillet. 

 

Season the sliced pears with salt and pepper and cook them in the skillet with the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Turn the pears as they become golden brown and start to soften. Turn the heat to low, add the dressing and the walnuts. Gently stir to combine. Serve on a platter or individual plates. 

 

I suggest a full-bodied Chardonnay or a velvety Pinot Noir to pair with this dish. 

 

Just Salt It, and enjoy!