This salad is a delightful ensemble of crunchy, creamy, smooth, sweet, peppery, and tart. The sharp flavor of arugula is mellowed by sliced pears and a simple lime and Dijon vinaigrette. Savory balls of chèvre baked in panko crumbs and a drizzle of olive oil pull everything together.
You can easily make your own sweet spiced nuts to top this salad, and you’ll be happy you’ve done it. You’ll find a recipe in the sidebar here, or try Laura’s Spiced Nuts. Make the nuts in advance, or get them into the oven first and prep the crusted chèvre while they bake; remove the nuts to let them cool, then raise the oven temperature to bake the crusted chèvre.
Serves 4
Time: 30 minutes; if preparing nuts, 45 minutes
8 ounces plain chèvre
¾ cup plain panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups rinsed and dried baby arugula
1 ripe Bosc, Bartlett, or Anjou pear, thinly sliced
1½ cups spiced nuts (see sidebar, here)
First, prepare the crusted chèvre. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Roll heaping teaspoons of chèvre in the panko to fully cover each 1-inch ball and place on the baking sheet; it should yield 16 to 20 balls. Drizzle each with a bit of olive oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chèvre is warm and the panko lightly crisp.
While the chèvre is baking, make the dressing: Whisk together the lime juice, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. In a bowl, toss the arugula and sliced pears with the dressing. Portion the salad onto individual salad plates, if you like.
Serve the salad topped with the warm crusted chèvre and spiced nuts.
A salad this versatile and lovable can be served with all manner of main dishes, or by itself for lunch.
1/8 cup water
¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups pecans or walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to a boil. Stir at a simmer for a minute until the sugar has dissolved. Add the nuts and stir gently to coat well with the syrup. With a slotted spoon, lift out the nuts and spread them on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned. Stir once after about 5 minutes of baking. Stir again when you remove them from the oven. Cool to room temperature.