Description
Crisp autumn winds whisper through this elegant Pear and Arugula Salad, blending sweet fruit with peppery greens. Delicate flavors dance across your plate, promising a delightful seasonal harmony that celebrates fresh, simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pears, ripe and firm
- 4 cups arugula
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (79 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 grams) freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Neutralize the pungent red onions by immersing them in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry, softening their sharp flavor profile.
- Create a vibrant balsamic vinaigrette by vigorously shaking olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a sealed mason jar until thoroughly emulsified.
- Artfully arrange a bed of peppery arugula in a wide, shallow serving bowl, creating a verdant foundation for the subsequent layers.
- Carefully cascade sliced pears, drained onions, crumbled goat cheese, ruby-hued cranberries, and toasted pecans across the arugula, creating a visually appealing landscape of textures and colors.
- Gently drizzle the freshly prepared vinaigrette over the salad, allowing it to cascade naturally between ingredients without disturbing the carefully constructed composition, ensuring each bite promises a harmonious blend of flavors.
Notes
- Soak red onions in ice water to mellow their sharp bite and create a gentler flavor profile for the salad.
- Choose ripe but firm pears to maintain crisp texture and prevent mushy consistency when slicing.
- Toast pecans quickly in a dry skillet to enhance their nutty flavor and add extra crunch to the salad.
- Experiment with different goat cheese varieties like herbed or aged versions to customize the salad’s taste complexity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 29 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg