Pear and Gouda Salad - Recipe
This salad takes advantage of the easy and unusual method for Cryo-Pickled Onions on . The onions go right in the salad, and the pickling liquid is used to make the vinaigrette. (You’ll have to make the onions at least a day in advance of when you want to serve the salad). I love how the subtle flavor of fresh ginger works with the pear.
For a more elegant presentation, refrigerate four salad plates and served this as an arranged salad instead of in a family-style bowl.
Buy the best aged gouda you can afford for this salad. The good stuff is at least one year old and has a slightly crystalline texture and prounounced nutty flavor.
Pear and Gouda Salad
Gluten-free / Serves 4 / 15 minutes if you have the cryo-pickled onions
- 1/3 cup Cryo-Pickled Onions + 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 head romaine lettuce, mostly hearts, sliced, washed and dried
- 1/3 cup green pumpkin seeds (pepitas), skillet-toasted if raw
- 2 ounces aged gouda, thinly sliced (with a cheese plane or vegetable peeler)
- 1 ripe pear, peeled and sliced into 16 pieces, just before serving so it doesn’t brown
- Whisk together the pickling liquid, olive oil, and salt. It is ok if it doesn’t completely emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Put the lettuce, toasted pumpkin seeds, gouda, pear slices and pickled onions in a salad bowl.
- Give the dressing one last whisk and dress the salad; start with half of the dressing and add more as needed so that the leaves are nicely coated but not drenched.
