| Total: | 15 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
Instructions
- What a pukka combination, simple and classy. Don’t try to make this when you feel like it, make it when you can buy perfect pears, otherwise it will taste naff. For 1 person I normally use around 1/2 a pear, 2 big handfuls of watercress and 2 big handfuls of rocket. If the pear skins are nice I just give them a wash, if not I remove them with a peeler. Then cut them in 1/2 and deseed. It doesn’t really matter how you cut them up. Sometimes in big rough chunks, maybe sliced up or even grated. Then place into a bowl with the watercress and rocket. The pepperiness of the leaves works so well with the sweetness of the pear. Drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil just to coat, a small squeeze of lemon juice (because the pear juice is slightly acidic but very tasty), and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss all this together and serve. Shave over Parmesan or pecornio, crumble your nuts over and tuck in. I love this salad with roasted meat or as a starter on its own.
Reviews
This salad was really a nice fresh salad that I enjoyed both the night I made it and the next afternoon… I might have actually liked it a little more the next day when the lemon and olive oil had really stuck to the arugula and watercress. I also substituted some goat cheese instead of the parmesan. It was really tasty and very light. I think it’s good as a starter salad.
This was delish. Was a real hit with my dinner guest. The sweetness of the pears with the salty of the parmesan was awesome. I made only one deviation. I did not have lemons on hand, so I used sherry vinegar instead. It was awesome and so easy. Make sure you use ripe sweet pears as that is key to this recipe. Jamie you rock!
If you have been searching for a traditional green salad with nontraditional ingredients this is the recipe for you. First of all, it makes for a presentation like one would find at a fine restaurant and secondly, the mixture of flavors makes it so interesting. My guests were largely unfamiliar with greens comprised only of watercress and arugula (rocket). It was fun and satisfying to see their expressions change from slight apprehension to delight as they tried each bite. Jamie is right; the sweetness of the pear is a wonderful balance with the greens. I used red pears. Walnuts were a delicious and attractive addition. I plated each salad separately in advance so that I could ensure that each guest received a good mixture of ingredients. I will make this again and again, especially when entertaining.