Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider | Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta | Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008 | Serves 6
Pomegranates, an old fruit with a new following, appear in the market starting in November. Older varieties are ruby-red, sour-tart, and full of flavor. Pomegranate juice—an antioxidant par excellence—is readily available year round and serves as the base for the vinaigrette, but do add some fresh pomegranate seeds to the salad if they are available. The small amount of chipotle in the dressing is not hot but gives a hint of smokiness that is wonderful with the sweet pear.—Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider
Roasted Pear and Arugula Salad with Pomegranate-Chipotle Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 small pears
- 1 tablespooon agave syrup
- 4 cups baby arugula, stemmed and washed
- 2 cups mixed baby lettuces, with some red color, stemmed and washed
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
- 3/4 cup strong, unsweetened pomegranate juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground dried chipotle or chipotle in adobo, or more to taste
Directions
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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Core the pears from the bottom, using a small spoon or melon bailer. You may peel them or not, but leave the stem intact. Brush the pears with the agave syrup and roast on a baking sheet until browned and tender, 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size and ripeness of the pears.
3. Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together or puree in a blender.
4. To serve, combine the baby arugula and lettuces with the dressing and divide among 6 chilled plates. Set a roasted pear on each plate and scatter some pomegranate seeds on the greens, if desired. Pass the extra dressing separately.
Variations: Add crumbled feta or blue cheese and caramelized walnuts. Substitute small apples for the pears.
- Ensalada de mango, aguacate y rúcula from Laylita
- Apple Pear Salad with Steak from Yum Sugar
- Goat Cheese in Phyllo with Roasted Pepper Salad from Leite’s Culinaria
- Marinated Raw Fennel Salad with Radishes, Carrot, and Spring Greens from Leite’s Culinaria
Roasted pear and arugula salad recipe © 2008 by Szekely Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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[Niharika Shah] The good thing about this salad is it can easily adjust to one’s taste. Just remember that unsweetened pomegranate juice is extremely tart. I used Bosc pears, which didn’t help to balance the tartness of the vinaigrette. So I ended up added some extra sugar.