Winter Salads with Fruits and Nuts
This has been a strange winter here in New York’s Hudson Valley—oddly warm. Though I fear it’s another sign of global warming it’s still a nice reprieve from the two last freezing cold, snowy winters. Today it’s pouring rain but balmy; I feel less like making soup than serving salad.
When the weather is cool, I like to make salads of mixed baby greens embellished with winter fruits. Winter tomatoes are better than they once were, and I do use lots of them in salads, but at least once a week I make a green salad with fruits rather than tomatoes. There’s something very uplifting about it, and it’s a nice accompaniment to hearty winter main dishes. Here is a basic recipe; use it as a template. Vary it and embellish as you’d like.
Mixed Greens Salad with Fresh Fruit and Nuts
4 to 6 servings
- 4 to 6 ounces mixed baby greens (mesclun), or more as desired
- Fresh fruit (choose one or two): 1 medium-large crisp apple, diced; 1 large ripe but firm pear, diced; 1 large or 2 medium asian pears; 2 to 3 clementines or other small seedless oranges, peeled and sectioned; or 1 medium ripe mango
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted nuts, such as slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or chopped cashews
- 1/2 cup peeled and diced white turnip or daikon radish
- 1/2 medium crisp cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries, optional
- Several thinly sliced rings of red onion, optional
- Your favorite dressing (this is nice with a raspberry vinaigtrette) or olive oil with lemon juice, as needed
Combine the ingredients in a serving bowl, toss well, and serve.
elylous said,
January 22, 2006 @ 8:52 am
Very refreshing! I tried it for our lunch with my little boy who is not fond of salads, but as it a sunny day today i thought it was a good idea and it really was!
I have just a question: what is an asian pear? In France it doesn’t exist, i saw a photo, it looks like an apple, doesn’t it? I used a granny apple , a conference pear and an orange, so it wasn’t a problem, but i’m curious and i want to know more about this strange pear!
Thank you
Annabelle
Nava said,
February 1, 2006 @ 5:15 pm
To answer your question, an Asian pear is a round fruit whose skin looks like a paler, yellowish version of the skin of bosc pear. It is crisp and watery, but not exactly like an apple. It has a taste and texture all its own, and a really good scent. I highly recommend it, mostly for just enjoying raw!
Cheryl said,
February 3, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
This sounds delicious! I recently had a salad that was made with arugula, spinach, sliced red onions and sliced fresh strawberries, served with a basalmic vinegar dressing… heavenly! Since strawberry season has already begun out here in California, I can’t wait to try my own version.
Thanks for the great recipes!
Cheryl