Pears

Autumn Pear Salad

Foodie Friday is here, and with it, the recipe for this delicious Autumn pear salad! Pick up some fresh, juicy pears from us at the market this weekend and enjoy! See our web calendar for market dates.

Serves: 5

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbsp finely diced shallot
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 7 oz Spring Salad & Spinach blend
• 2 oz parmesan cheese, shaved
• 2 Red Anjou Pears, sliced thin (Bartlett pears work fine too)
• 1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Instructions for the vinaigrette dressing:

1. To a blender add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, diced shallot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Blend mixture until well emulsified, about 20 seconds.
3. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Instructions for the salad and candied walnuts:

1. In a medium skillet melt butter along with brown sugar over medium heat.
2. Once mixture has melted add walnuts and cook, stirring constantly until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate in a single layer to cool.
3. Layer lettuce and pears in a large bowl and toss with dressing, then top with parmesan, dried cranberries and candied pecans and serve.
4. Note: top this salad with dressing just before serving, as it will wilt the lettuce after a while.
5. Enjoy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of: Cooking Classy