A perfect balance of flavors and textures, this salad is sure to become a favorite first course to enjoy while supper cooks. Replace the pecans with Sweet Spiced Nuts (page 261) for a special touch.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　8 cups baby greens or torn romaine or leaf lettuce (about 8 ounces)

　　2 firm but ripe pears

　　Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette or Versatile Vinaigrette (page 222)

　　1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

　　1/2 cup toasted pecans

　　

Step 1

Rinse and dry the salad greens. Cut the pears in half, core them, and cut into matchsticks or thin slices. Lightly coat the pears with a little dressing to prevent discoloration.

　　

Step 2

In a large salad bowl, toss together the greens and pears. Sprinkle the top with cheese and pecans. Pass the vinaigrette at the table.

　　

Ingredient Notes

Step 3

You can purchase grated cheese, but Parmesan looks and tastes even better if you buy it in a chunk and use a coarse grater to shred it or a sharp vegetable peeler to make curls.

　　

Step 4

This salad is also good with blue cheese or chèvre.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 5

Perfect with Creamy Lemon Pasta (page 18) or Baked Stuffed Tomatoes (page 49).

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.