Celery Pear & Date Salad
This recipe is something I pulled from Eyeswoon - a lovely fresh but beautiful salad that looks stunning on the plate but are healthy with lots of texture.
Using lots of celery which frankly I really haven't used for a while often, as I often opt for fennel but if you buy it fresh and keep in a glass of water in the fridge it will last well! Plus celery I think always needed for stocks (use the chicken carcass well to make your own stock easy if you everything you need!!)
Snacking with humous or dare I mention peanut butter. This is the go to snack if you were bright up in California…honest!! Checkout my amazing Beetroot Hummus recipe as well if you need some extra inspiration.
This salad is also not just for Summer; as it can also play the starring role in Winter. It's so bright and crunchy it works so well with rich cold weather stews and casseroles.
The fresh celery combined with the sweet dates, crisp pear, toasty pistachios and sharp Manchego cheese dressed in a simple lemon and extra virgin olive oil really is a tastebud explosion.
Also, if you don't have a mandolin, get one! I really can't tell you how much more beautiful the presentation is. I have one I take with me whenever we go away. I got off Amazon its the Japanese Mandolin BENRINER Classic. I use it almost every time without fail for all my salad recipes. Just please be careful with your fingers!! - use the guard until you get the hang of it.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 stalks celery
- 1 ripe pear halved and thinly sliced(Use your mandolin!)
- 6 Medjool dates, Pitted halved and each slice cut into 3rds
- 60 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2-3 oz shaved Manchego cheese (use your mandolin)
- 80 gms pistachios toasted and roughly chopped
- Maldon Salt
- Freshly cracked Pepper
METHOD
- Compose the first 3 ingredients together on a pretty platter (I get mine in Italy but I think you can find them on @hosthouse)
- Toss with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Shave cheese atop followed by pistachio, zest, salt + pepper
Enjoy! It's really that easy. Image and Recipe inspiration credits are sourced from Eyeswoon, please do check this one out by Athena Calderone.
