"The dressing is great with pears, especially Asian pears. Sometimes Asian pears are called apple pears because they're super crunchy and probably also because you need to appeal to the racist customers who won't eat something called 'Asian.' You'll find them in the store, often individually dressed in their own little stretchy foam jackets because they are extra fancy and special (and they do cost a little more than your average pear)."
Asian Pear & Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
- 8 cups mixed greens of your choice (about 8 ounces)
- ½ cup fresh regular or Thai basil leaves, torn
- 1 crisp Asian pear or very firm regular pear, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, sliced
- Sesame Ginger Dressing (recipe below)
- 1 firm-ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions:
In a large salad bowl, toss together the greens, basil, pear and onion. Gently toss in the dressing to taste, the avocado, and most of the almonds. Garnish with the remaining almonds.
Tip:
To keep the halved avo from browning before you slice it, press plastic wrap directly onto the avo's surface. (Oxygen causes the darkening, so yes, technically you're suffocating the avocado. Sorry, let's not talk about it.)
Sesame Ginger Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup peanut oil
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
Instructions:
In a blender, combine the mayo, peanut oil, vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, sugar, Sriracha, salt, ginger and garlic and blend until smooth. (Or you can finely mince the ginger and garlic and shake all the ingredients in a jar until smooth and creamy.) Refrigerate until ready to use.
