Author Notes: One of my favorite salads pairs pears with pecans. You can serve this with fresh pears or roasted. I think Barlett pears roast well, but Anjou are delightful fresh. —Sagegreen
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Roasted pecans
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3 teaspoons of molasses
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1
teaspoon chestnut honey
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1
tablespoon ground sumac
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2
teaspoons premium tamari
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1
cup pecans, shelled and whole
The salad
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2
pears, cored, each one cut into ten segments, peeled or not, to your liking
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2
ounces olive oil (EVOO)
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1
tablespoon vinegar, pear infused
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1 1/2-2
teaspoons chestnut honey, to taste
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1
teaspoon dijon mustard, to taste
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pinch of kosher salt
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dash of fresh milled white peppercorns
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1
tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice, to taste
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1 tsp. of Domaine de Canton, Poire Williams or St. Germain, optional
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1/2
teaspoon peeled grated fresh ginger
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1/2
cup deseeded red grapes, halved, optionally peeled, recommended but optional
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4
ounces blue cheese, Maytag, crumpled
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4
cups seasonal petite greens such as baby spinach and arugula
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sprinkle of Maldon salt flakes
Directions
Roasted pecans
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix the honey and molasses together. In a saucer evenly coat the pecans with this mix.
- Mix in the sumac. Then finish with the tamari. This makes a sticky mess, but it will be worth it.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Letting the excess coating drip off each pecan, line them up on the parchment.
- Roast until browned and drier in the oven for 10-15 minutes, but do not let blacken. Let cool on an icing tray.
The salad
- For a warm version of this salad roast the cut, pared pears for 15 minutes in a 450 degree oven in a baking dish lightly coated with olive oil. Otherwise prepare the fresh pears into slices, pared or with skin, your preference.
- Emulsify the oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard in a covered jar. Add the ginger, lemon juice, optional spirit, pepper and salt to the jar and shake. Test with a greenleaf and adjust accordingly for acidity, sweetness, brightness and saltiness.
- Lightly toss the greens with some of the dressing and plate. Next arrange the pears in a concentric pattern preferably on top. Add the peeled grapes, pecans and blue cheese. Drizzle a bit more of the dressing over this layer. Add a sprinkle of Maldon salt flakes to finish.
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