You told us you prefer a simple starter to kick off your festive dining. If serving to vegetarians, make sure your Stilton is suitable.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Cal/Serv:
314
Ingredients
FOR THE CANDIED PECANS
1
medium egg white
25g
granulated sugar
1/2tsp.
sweet or hot smoked paprika
150g
pecans
15g
butter, melted
FOR THR DRESSING
2tsp.
runny honey
1Tbsp.
wholegrain mustard
1Tbsp.
red wine vinegar
2Tbsp.
extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
4
chicory heads, red, white or a mix
6
-8 figs, depending on size, quartered or halved
150g
Stilton, crumbled, see intro
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and line a medium tray with baking parchment. For the candied pecans, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until it holds medium peaks. Whisk in the sugar, paprika, ¼tsp fine salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Step 2Add the pecans and melted butter, and mix to coat. Empty on to the lined tray and spread to a single layer. Cook in the oven for 15-18min, turning occasionally, or until deep golden. Set aside to cool completely (they will crisp on cooling).
Step 3For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients with some seasoning until combined.
Step 4For the salad, trim the ends off the chicory heads and arrange the leaves on a large serving plate in a ring, to resemble a wreath. Dot around the figs and scatter over the Stilton and candied pecans. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step 2 up to a week ahead. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Make, cover and chill dressing up to 2 days ahead. Complete recipe to serve.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).