- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound Roquefort or other blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup mild oil, such as canola
- 1 head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 bunches watercress, tough stems removed, leaves chopped
- 1 cup drained cocktail onions
- 1 avocado, preferably Hass, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 pear, peeled, cored, and sliced
- In a small frying pan, toast the nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or toast them in a 350 degrees F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Put the potato in a medium pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine one third of the blue cheese with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and then gradually whisk in the oil. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Add the romaine to the rest of the dressing and toss. Transfer to a platter or salad bowl.
- Toss the watercress with the reserved dressing. Arrange the remaining blue cheese, the watercress, walnuts, potato, onions, avocado, and pear slices on top of the lettuce.