Asparagus & Pear Salad with Watercress and Rucola
This pretty salad has a very nice blend of flavors. The pears and asparagus are really nice together.
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
for the salad:
- 12 spears asparagus (3 per person)
- 2 pears
- small bunch watercress
- handful rucola (also known as rocket or arugula) per person
- 1-2 ounces soy cheese
- rosy peppercorns as garnish (optional)
for the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive or walnut oil
- 1/4 cup berry vinegar (raspberry, blackberry etc.)
- 2 tablespoons berry syrup or agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons mild mustard
- pinch salt and pepper
Directions:
- If you are using fresh white asparagus:
Peel the asparagus and trim the hard woody end off.
Cook in a lightly salted pot of water until al dente.
Once cooked, drain and allow to cool. - If you are using canned or jarred asparagus, then it’s merely a matter of opening the container and draining the liquid off.
- Put the dressing ingredients in a carafe and mix well.
- Wash the rucola and watercress.
- Remove the long stem parts of the rucola.
- Pick each of the watercress leaves from the stem.
- Arrange the greens on 4 individual plates.
- Cut each asparagus in 2-3 long sections and arrange on each plate.
- Peel the pear, slice in half and then slice each half in thin parts.
- Arrange the parts on each plate so that each person gets about 1/2 a pear.
- Grate the soy cheese on top and sprinkle a few rosy peppercorns as an optional garnish.
- Serve the salad with the carafe of dressing so each may help themselves.
Notes:
We would recommend the white asparagus to go with the pears.