If you haven’t tried oak roast tomatoes yet, I recommend them. They are often sold in farmers’ markets. They have a smoky flavour and add an interesting flair to a dish. Sun blushed or sun dried tomatoes also work well. I like to dress the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but you can also go the French way and use vinaigrette instead.

Method

• Wash the rocket and dry well. Scatter it over a large shallow platter.
• Quarter and core the pear and finely slice it before arranging it on top of the rocket.
• Dice the blue cheese into 2 cm cubes and scatter it on top of the pears.
• Top with the walnuts and the tomatoes.
• Season with a little salt, freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and of good quality balsamic vinegar.
• Serve alone or with bread, either as a starter or as a side dish.

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