Recipe Overview
Eldorado Salad is one of those plates that feels both luxurious and grounded. Sweet roasted beets, fragrant poached pears, creamy honey-Gorgonzola dressing, and warm garlic shrimp create a layered composition over tender mâche. Candied almonds bring crunch and contrast, making this salad ideal for refined plated service or a standout signature menu offering.
Flavor Structure
This salad balances earthy beet sweetness, pear perfume, blue cheese richness, bright acidity, and the delicate savoriness of shrimp. The result is a dramatic but controlled composition that works beautifully as a first course or light entrée.
Chef Approach
Keep every element distinct. Slice the beets cleanly, poach the pears gently, and cook the shrimp only until just opaque. The dressing should be creamy but lively, never heavy, so the salad remains elegant from the first bite to the last.
Ingredients
- 227 g mâche (lamb's lettuce)
- 10 g white truffle oil (optional)
- 680 g Bosc pears, peeled and cored
- 180 g red beet, cooked & sliced
- 180 g yellow beet, cooked & sliced
- 150 g sweet Gorgonzola cheese
- 42 g raw honey
- 227 g tiger shrimp (26/30), peeled and deveined
- 120 g candied almonds
- 8 g chopped Italian parsley
- 240 g champagne vinegar
- 240 g neutral oil (canola/grapeseed)
- 15 g Dijon mustard
- 480 g Prosecco wine
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 120 g fresh lemon juice
- 12.5 g brown sugar
- 3 g garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Roast the beets: Wrap red and yellow beets separately in foil and roast at 350°F / 175°C for about 1 hour 20 minutes until tender. Cool, peel, and slice.
- Poach the pears: Simmer Prosecco, champagne vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and brown sugar for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peeled pears and poach gently until just tender. Cool them in the liquid. Optional: vacuum-seal with some of the poaching liquid and chill.
- Prepare the dressing: Blend cooled pear poaching liquid with Gorgonzola, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sea salt, and black pepper. With the motor running, stream in the neutral oil until creamy and smooth.
- Cook the shrimp: Sauté the shrimp with minced garlic and chopped parsley in a little oil until opaque and just cooked through. Season lightly.
- Finish the almonds: If needed, toast the almonds for about 5 minutes at 350°F / 175°C and candy them lightly, then cool completely.
- Assemble the plate: Spoon dressing onto the plate, arrange sliced beets and quartered pears, toss the mâche lightly with white truffle oil if using, and mound it above. Finish with shrimp, candied almonds, and cracked black pepper.
Built for Refined Menu Service
Eldorado Salad is a strong signature candidate for your Salad Station, tasting menus, upscale lunch service, or plated private dining. The structured metadata below keeps it ready for Menu Builder use and future live inventory connection.
Chef Notes
The success of this salad depends on restraint and precision. Do not over-poach the pears or overcook the shrimp. Keep the beets sliced cleanly and the dressing well-balanced so each composed layer remains visible, vibrant, and elegant.
Service Suggestions
- Serve as a signature first course for wine dinners or elegant lunch menus.
- Plate individually for the strongest visual impact.
- Excellent with bitter greens, mâche, or a delicate spring mix.
- Finish with cracked pepper at the last second for aroma and contrast.
| Calories | 420 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 115 mg |
| Sodium | 430 mg |