Pear fennel salad is a dressy, festive evening kind of salad. The arugula and fennel make it crunchy, the pears add a touch of sweetness. Creamy avocado and feta balance out the party. I think the key flavor is the roasted hazelnuts, so go the extra distance to find some when shopping. I keep a container of hazelnuts in my freezer for just such an occasion. The hazelnut became Oregon’s official State Nut in 1989 and most hazelnuts we buy here are from our southern neighbor. During the winter holidays I like to add some pomegranate seeds to the pear fennel salad for their red jewel-like color.
pear fennel salad
Ingredients
- salad
- 5 ounces spinach (1 average bag)
- 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 pear, sliced in matchsticks
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup hazelnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- champagne vinaigrette
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 or 3 dashes hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
1
In large bowl, layer ingredients.
2
In a jar or dressing container, add all ingredients and shake well.
3
Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
