Chicory, Blue Cheese, Pecan and Cranberry Salad

Serves 4

 Ingredients

  • 225 g (8 oz) Cashel Blue cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 head chicory
  • a selection of salad leaves
  • 2 tbsp dried cranberries, chopped very roughly
  • 12 pecans
  • dressing:
    • 3 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil
    • 11⁄2 tbsp white wine vinegar
    • 1⁄4 tsp Dijon mustard
    • salt and black pepper to season

 Method

  1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a jam jar. Toast the pecans on a baking tray at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for 5–10 minutes — don’t leave them as they burn easily. When cool, chop or crumble them roughly. Trim the chicory and separate the leaves. Combine the cheese, nuts and cranberries in a bowl and toss with a little dressing.
  2. To assemble salad, choose a good mix of small salad leaves. Add some chicory and dressing. Add the cheese, nuts and cranberries.
  3. NOTE For canapés, the cheese, nut and cranberry mixture can be sparingly spooned into the small chicory leaves.