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Serves
4 as a first course, 6 as a side salad
Author Notes
This bright red and green salad adds a festive touch to any holiday table, but the fresh flavors are good any time of year. Years ago I cut a recipe from a magazine for a green salad with pomegranate seeds and a poppy seed dressing. I made it a few times, then lost it. So, based on the idea, I recreated one that we all love. I have since discovered the delicious tang of pomegranate molasses and knew I needed to include it in the dressing. The original recipe didn't have mint in it, but since it is an ingredient also used in Turkish recipes and pomegranate molasses is a Turkish ingredient, I tried it and it was a hit. However, if you can't find fresh mint, the salad is great without it, too. And if you can't find pomegranate molasses, substitute in an extra 1/2 tablespoon each vinegar and honey. Use any mix of salad greens, but I like half baby spinach and half mixed baby greens.
This recipe makes twice as much salad dressing as you need - so use half to dress the greens and fruit, and reserve the other half in the fridge for another day. It tastes wonderful on a salad of cut-up mixed fruit, or on any green salad. —Kitchen Frau
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Ingredients
- Salad Dressing
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1/4 cup
extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon
white wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon
liquid honey
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1 tablespoon
pomegranate molasses
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1 tablespoon
poppy seeds
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1/4 teaspoon
sea salt
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1/4 teaspoon
pepper
- Salad Ingredients
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5 ounces
mixed washed salad greens, about 4 big handfuls, or 4 cups loosely packed (I like 1/2 baby spinach and 1/2 mixed baby greens)
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1
ripe pear (red or bosc)
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2
green onions
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2 tablespoons
finely sliced mint leaves
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1/2 cup
pomegranate seeds
Directions
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Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl until smooth. Set aside.
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Cut the pear into eighths lengthwise, then half-inch slices. Thinly slice the green onions. Stack the mint leaves on top of each other, roll up, and slice thinly. In a large bowl, toss the salad greens, pears, green onions and mint.
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Add half the dressing (start with a little less than half, then add more to taste). You want the leaves very lightly dressed. Toss gently til everything is coated. Reserve the remaining half of the dressing for another purpose.
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Arrange on 4 individual salad plates, or in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds.
(If you mix the pomegranate seeds in with the salad ingredients, they tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl and their stunning effect is lost. So for maximum visual impact - add them last.)
Serve immediately.
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