Pear & Manchego Salad

Spruce up a salad with a rosemary, honey and hazelnut crumb to accompany Spanish cheese, sweet fruit and bitter leaves

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  261

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  16g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  16g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp good-quality clear honey
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 tsp olive oil, plus a drizzle for toasting the nuts
• 2 tbsp blanched hazelnuts
• zest ¼ lemon
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 75g mixed leaves (we used red chicory, watercress and rocket)
• 1 ripe pear, halved, cored and thinly sliced
• 25g Manchego (or a vegetarian hard cheese)

Directions

1. Heat the honey and rosemary in a small pan with 1 tbsp boiling water. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble for around 30 secs. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse.
2. Heat a frying pan and drizzle in a little oil. Add the hazelnuts and toast until golden and starting to char a little here and there. Remove from the pan, allow to cool, then chop roughly to make a rustic crumb. Mix with the lemon zest and some seasoning.
3. To make a dressing, combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some seasoning. Toss the salad leaves in most of the dressing, then arrange on serving plates or a platter, layering the leaves with the pear slices. Top with shavings of Manchego and the hazelnut crumb, then drizzle over some of the rosemary honey and the remaining dressing. Serve with Prosciutto twists (see tip, below) for the meat-eaters.

Categories: All Christmas