Winter Green Salad with Pears and Walnuts
A winter greens salad is tossed with a warm vinaigrette made from sweet, caramelized shallots cooked with chopped pear to form the basis of a wintry wonderful pear vinaigrette. The pear can be swapped out for blood oranges, peaches, or apple for different flavored dressings.
- Serves
- 4-6
Directions
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Make the vinaigrette: In a medium-sized skillet add the sliced shallots with a drizzle of oil and slowly cook over medium heat until well caramelized, about 5 minutes. Manage the heat so they don’t burn or become too crispy. We want them soft and tender yet caramelized. Stir in the diced pear and cook down until it is pulpy and can be mashed.
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Wash all the greens and remove the stems. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and dry well.
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NOTE: If using regular curly kale, strip the leaves from the thick stem, chop the leaves, and drizzle with a 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, 1 Tablespoon of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves for 3 or 4 minutes, until they turn glossy green and become slightly reduced in volume. This breaks down the fibrous texture.
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To a large bowl or platter add all the greens and pour the dressing over the salad. Use tongs to toss gently. Garnish with Parmesan, toasted walnuts and pear slices.
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Handmade Orecchiette Pasta with Spicy Sausage Tomato Sauce
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This recipe is fast, easy, and affordable. This chunky sauce is perfect for the thumbprint-shaped orecchiette as the rounded pasta shape can catch the bits of sausage and tomatoes in the divots. This hearty pasta pairs perfectly with a lemony winter greens salad.
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Serves 4-6
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Perfect Pasta Recipe
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Directions for making orecchiette
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After the pasta dough rests, use a pastry cutter or knife to cut the dough into 4 pieces.
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Use your hands to roll the dough, working it into a log about 12 inches long and 1/2 -inch thick.
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Cut the log into 1/2-inch pieces (pillows), dust lightly with flour, and set aside.
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Repeat this process until all of the dough is finished.
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Using your finger or the edge of a paring knife, press down at the top of each piece, forcefully dragging it across the dough “pillow” to create a concave divot in the middle.
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Place them on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina. Make sure they do not touch to prevent sticking.
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Continue doing this until all of the pillows are formed into orecchiette.
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While the pasta is drying, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water. When it begins to boil, add a batch of to boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or wire mesh strainer to remove to a lightly oiled bowl and continue boiling the pasta in batches until finished.
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Gently toss the sauce through the pasta and serve hot, garnished with parmesan cheese and basil ribbons.
From Shawnie's class “Winter in the Italian Riviera” (also taught in Taste of the Italian Riviera)
