Today was in the 70’s and it feels so warm and wonderful outside. This weather makes me yearn for cold crisp salads and fresh fruits and vegetables. This wonderful Pear salad is not only beautiful but very refreshing and healthy!

You can also slice the pears in lieu of using a whole pear, but this presentation wil get the Wow factor for any occasion. Or you can make one and use a s centerpiece in the middle of the platter and surround the pear with the remaining salad.

I am gearing up for our wonderful Orthodox Easter Holiday on April 28th.  Since several of us  have been fasting from meat for the whole Lenten Season, Salads like this help with a delicious Lenten Salad. However on Easter we may just bypass  this salad and head straight for the Lamb, Ham, Pork, Filet………we call it the Beast Feast!! My third plate of food will definitely have this amazing salad on it……Lol!  Along with the other Easter traditions that adorn our beautiful Easter table.

Pear-Arugula-Feta- Wheat berry with a Honey lemon Drizzle

prep time: 30 min          assembly time: 20      serves:6

6  small bartlet or Anjou soft pear

1 cup dried Wheat berry ( what we use in Koliva)

1  13 oz bag of baby arugula

1 small red pepper ( sliced in thin circles)

3/4 cup glazed walnuts ( broken in smaller pieces)

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1 bag of Glazed Pecan or walnuts

1/4 cup of good honey

2 tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 cup lemon juice, 4-5 lemons (zested )

salt and pepper

Place the one cup of wheat berries in a pot of boiling, salted water. Stir, cover and simmer for about 2 hours or more until they are plump and soft. Drain and take one tbsp. of the olive oil and toss the cooked wheat berry until coated well.

While the wheat berry is cooking, squeeze all of the juice from the lemons into a bowl, (save zest for salad). Place the honey in a microwave and remember when measuring to spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking spray and it will pour right out and not stick, it’s great.

Now it is time to hollow out the pears. take an apple corer and gently push it up the middle of the pear and the pears will be hollow inside. Now turning the pear on its side slice the pear into 4 pieces, keeping the integrity of the pear. Place in a bowl and pour the lemon juice over the pears making sure all of the flesh is covered with the lemon juice to keep the pears from turning brown.

Now add the lemon juice from the pears into a container and pour in the honey, then add the one tbsp. olive oil, lemon rind and whisk well add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

Make the salad, place the arugula in a big bowl, add the cooked wheat berry and toss well. Add the feta, the pecans and the sweet red pepper, Toss with the dressing.

Place a small amount of the dressed salad in-between the pear slices to reassemble the pear. drizzle with a small amount of honey.
It sound like a lot of steps, but it all come together very quickly. Everything can be done a day ahead.
Hope you enjoy this salad, I think it will become your favorites!

Good Luck!

Chef Steff