May I introduce you to the re-creation of a lovely summer salad I had at a Miami Beach restaurant? What makes this summer salad shine, is the combination of pears, goat cheese and cashews. Feel free to use a selection of various lettuces for variety. And the honey mustard dressing will pull it all together nicely.
Why not surprise your family and guests with this refreshing summer salad? To save time, prep the lettuces, goat cheese and cashews in advance, then pour the dressing over it just prior to serving.
Serves 4
Salad:
1/2 cup (120 ml) raw cashews
4 handfuls lettuce, different varieties including arugula
1 or 2 pears, quartered lengthwise, seeds removed, then cut crosswise into thin slices
4 ounces (115 g) soft goat cheese, cut into chunks
Dressing:
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2 Spread the cashews on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish and roast for 5 minutes or until light brown. Be careful not to burn the nuts – once you smell the aroma, they are done.
3 Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces and submerge in cold water. Move the lettuce around in the water to dislodge any soil or sand. Drain in a colander or use a salad spinner.
4 Arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Add the pear slices and the cheese. Top with the roasted cashews.
5 Place all dressing ingredients into a glass jar. Close the lid and shake to mix. Just before serving, pour the dressing evenly over the salad.
Serve with whole-grain toast and butter.
ENJOY !
If you like this salad, you might also enjoy the Greek Salad a la Polli, the Moroccan Style Chickpea Salad and the Swiss Chard with Oranges side dish.
Find more delicious recipes in my newest book COOKING WITH MARIKA: Clean Cuisine from an Estonian Farm.