Serves 4
4 heads Bibb lettuce
4 ripe peaches
Blue cheese dressing
Spiced pecans
Cut out the core of each head of
Bibb lettuce with a small paring knife so that the leaves will
easily pull apart. Skin each peach and slice into thin wedges.
Place 1 head of Bibb lettuce on
each of 4 chilled plates. Arrange the wedges of peaches in
between the lettuce leaves. Drizzle about 1/4 cup blue cheese
dressing on each head of lettuce and sprinkle with a handful of
spiced pecans. Serve immediately.
Blue Cheese Dressing
12 ounces blue cheese
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1/2 quart mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon crème fraiche
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of salt
Combine the blue cheese and heavy
cream in a 12-inch sauté pan and gently heat over a low flame,
stirring with a wooden spoon until the cheese melts and combines
with the heavy cream. Take off the heat and let cool for about
10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and gently fold in the
mayonnaise, mustard, crème fraiche, lemon juice and sherry
vinegar.
Add a pinch each of salt and
pepper. Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6 tablespoons (3/4) butter
1 pound pecans
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon spice mix of equal parts cinnamon, cumin,
paprika, ground caraway, white pepper and nutmeg.
Heat the butter in a large sauté
pan until foamy. Add the pecans and sugar and toss to coat. Add
the spice mix and shake the pan until all the pecans are
thoroughly coated with the spice mix. Cook for about 10 minutes
or until the butter has been absorbed and the pecans are
roasted, continuing to shake the pan. Drain on a paper towel and
let cool. This will make more than you need for the recipe;
store the remaining pecans in an airtight container.
