Salad #100 needs to make a statement!
Thinking about how salads have evolved over the centuries…
(Salad #1 …Herba Salata)
It seems only fitting that to highlight a salad that is a celebration of contrasts!
(Salad #100 …Chili Peppers and Pears)
Daunting as it may seem, a salad that stars chili peppers can be a beautiful event!
If you strip away the fiery seeds and membranes of the common chili peppers, you will find a unique taste that is pure chili… and then …add some soft, sweet, and elegant pears …
A beautiful combination of contrasts and conundrums
Why not?
The thought of habarneros and red chilis in the vinaigrette may scare you a bit – but if you immerse the very finely minced chilies in the acid of the lime juice and vinegar for a time, it seems that they become a bit more civilized and contribute to a intensely flavourful vinaigrette. The amount of chilies in the vinaigrette can be adjusted to suit your taste – remember that the heat comes from the seeds and the membranes.
And then, it is the queso fresco that brings some sense of sanity to the craziness.
100 Days of Salads ends on a very flavourful note
Chili Peppers and Pears Salad
Number of Servings: 4
Salad Ingredients:
1/2 of a poblano pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1/2 of an Anaheim pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1 red sweet pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped green onions
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped or thinly sliced red onions
1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
1 or 2 ripe pears (Bosc, Bartlette, Asian, or Anjou), unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced
Butter lettuce; red leaf lettuce
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup queso fresco cheese – or crumbled feta cheese
Chili Lime Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) lime zest
1 tablespoon pear vinegar, white balsamic, or white wine vinegar – or a combination
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 mL) very finely minced habanero pepper, seeded (about 1/3 of a habanero)
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 mL) very finely minced red Thai chili pepper (1 pepper, seeded)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (5 mL) honey
4 tablespoons (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Prepare vinaigrette: Combine lime juice, lime zest, vinegar(s), habanerao and Thai chili pepper in a small bowl. Let this sit for a short time (15 minutes or so). Whisk in mustard, honey. Whisk in oil until thick. Season to taste.
- Place all peppers, onions, and celery in a large salad bowl. Add pear slices.
- Add some butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce. Fold in some queso fresco cheese and chopped cilantro.
- Pour vinaigrette over salad ingredients. Gently toss.
- Serve with extra queso fresco cheese and chopped cilantro over all.
Questions and comments are always welcome alex@chilipeppersandpears.com
