Pear Salad with Dried Cherry Vinaigrette and Macadamia Medallions
Raw food doesn’t have to be boring, tasteless or difficult to make. Raw food can be gourmet, easy and fabulous. I started working on this salad for the upcoming transitional book but it was so good, I decided to do a full raw version for you, here! You are going to love this salad. Bursting with flavor, gourmet enough for your best dinner party or simple enough for tonight’s dinner. I can’t seem to stop eating it.
I started with dried cherries and made a simple vinaigrette with lemon juice and shallots. Chop up the pears, add them to the greens, toss with the vinaigrette and top with….wait for it….the macadamia rosemary medallions! The result? A deeply complex flavor that will satisfy even the pickest eater! The rosemary compliments the dried cherries and pears in a way that delights the taste buds. There is a to die for variation of this in the upcoming Transitional Raw Food book being released next week.
Pear Salad with Dried Cherry Vinaigrette and Macadamia Nut Medallions
SERVES 2
Macadamia Nut Medallions
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked at least 6 hours, rinsed and drained (you are soaking the nuts for texture, do not omit this step)
- 1/2 lemon, juice from
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- Himalayan Salt and pepper to taste (I barely use a pinch of the salt, more of the pepper)
- Place all ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until light, fluffy texture is achieved. It should look like ricotta cheese.
- Shape in medallions, 1 1/2 inch across. Set aside.
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar (or raw honey)
- 1 lemon, juice from
- 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
- pinch Himalayan Salt
- pinch pepper
- Place dried cherries, olive oil and lemon juice and agave in blender. Blend until cherries are finely chopped.
- Stir in shallots, pinch salt and pepper.
*Chef’s Note: I like to make this in advance so the flavors can meld.
Salad
- 3 cups mixed greens
- 1 pear, chopped (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Assembly
- Toss greens and pear together.
- Toss in enough vinaigrette to coat.
- Top with macadamia nut medallions and pecans.
Rachel wrote on July 11, 2011
This looks amazing!
ZD wrote on March 22, 2011
Thank you, Susan for this great recipe! I made it with cranberries instead of cherries and it worked out wonderfully.
Susan wrote on March 22, 2011
You have to try it with the cherries….So tasty!!
Susan Zide wrote on March 15, 2011
Made it yesterday — absolutely elegant and delicious — so good I had it for lunch and had to have it for dinner —
SOOOOOOO yummy!
Susan
Mary @ Delightful Bitefuls wrote on March 15, 2011
This looks so healthy and delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Great blog; happy I found you!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
Shelly wrote on March 13, 2011
This recipe looks great, i’m going to cook it for me and my husband tonight, or maybe just blend it all together into a green smoothie!
Eco Mama wrote on March 12, 2011
Macadamia Medallions. I’m salivating.
xo
Eco Mama