Poached pear salad with herb feta

It's soft, succulent, decadent... food for the gods, there is nothing tastier than pears poached in red wine. It's the perfect dessert with ice cream or as a light salad with greens.

For poached pear you need: 1 big plump pear, 2 cups of wine (white or red), 3 spoons of sugar (more if you want it sweeter), a pinch of cinnamon.

For the salad vinaigrette: 3 spoons of olive oil, half an onion finely chopped, 3 spoons of white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Arugula lettuce and chopped walnuts for the salad.

Herb feta cheese: Soft feta cheese and assorted herbs- chopped parsley, thyme and rosemary

Peel the pear, cut it into halves. In a saucepan bring the wine and sugar to a light boil and immerse the pear in it. Add a pinch of cinnamon. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring once in a while. The pear should neither be too firm, not too soft. Turn off the heat and allow the pear to cool in the liquid.

Meanwhile prepare the salad vinaigrette by whisking the chopped onions with olive oil and white wine vinegar. Add salt and pepper. Mix it with the lettuce and chopped walnuts.

Whisk the soft feta with the chopped herbs.

Assemble the salad by slicing the pear into thin slivers. Place the greens around, and garnish with dollops of herb-ed feta.

 

Corn and arugula summer salad

I was making Gnocchi for dinner, and was looking for a perfect light side salad to do with the relatively heavy dish. Digging through the fridge I found fresh corn, arugula.

I have never tried a corn salad before, and I don't know why.  Fresh corn is cheap and readily available and unlike other vegetables, very flavorful on its own. Boiled with a bit of butter and salt, or roasted. Pairing it with another favorite of mine- arugula. Why didn't I think of it before.

 Loki examining the ingredients :)

You need:

2 medium sized corn (raw)
Arugula/ mix of lettuce
1 finely shopped tomato (or halved cherry tomatoes)
1 finely chopped onion
White wine vinegar (2 tbsp)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Handful fresh/ dry thyme
Handful basil leaves finely chopped
Feta cheese

 

Chuck the corn into a pot of boiling water, for 4-5 minutes. Set aside to cool, and then cut the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife.

Add the lettuce leaves, chopped onions and tomato and basil leaves. In a separate bowl prepare the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, thyme and white wine vinegar with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing and add the crumbled feta cheese at the end.