My Peruvian friend Christina, an art restorer, was living in Paris when we were posted there. She gave me this recipe. Well, to be honest, she made it when we went to her place for dinner one night and I copied the idea. It has since become one of my favourite salads. Especially in the colder months when the pears are good but the tomatoes aren’t.
Sometimes the pears you find at the supermarket are very underripe, so it’s good to plan ahead and keep one in the fruit bowl for a couple of days until it feels just ripe, which is perfect for this recipe.
Rocket leaves or a mix of salad greens
1 ripe but not overripe pear (peel if preferred, I don’t)
1 shallot or ¼ of a red onion, very finely diced
Toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts or pecans
60g coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Dressing:
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
3-4 Tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
1 tsp honey (optional)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Place all ingredients for dressing in a jar with a lid and shake to combine.
Arrange rocket or salad greens on serving dish. Quarter and core the pear, then cut into thin slices. Arrange over the salad. Sprinkle with the onion, toasted nuts and Parmesan. Drizzle with the dressing, then gently mix. Any leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
