A few years ago my dad came to DC to visit and was looking for a home cooked meal. Since he was in the middle of his time on Atkins my sister and I needed to find dishes that appealed to everyone but accommodated his needs. I found this recipe on The Food Network website and it fit our all the requirements (although it was a little high carb bc of the pears).
Arugula, Toasted Walnut and Roasted Pear Salad with Red Wine/shallot Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 firm pears, halved and seeded
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp minced shallots
6 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup EVOO
salt and pepper
3 to 4 bunches arugula
3/4 cup shelled walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place pear halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and brush them with honey. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Slice the pears lengthwise into half inch slices. Be sure to use firm pears.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and shallots. Whisk in EVOO until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. Toss pears and toasted walnuts.
We made this dish for a Halloween dinner party and even without dietary concerns it was a hit!
Enjoy! This is kinda a lot of calories, but as a side to a number of other dishes it served much more than 8. Adjust calories accordingly!
