Apple and Pear Salad with Curry Vinaigrette

By on 11 September 2011 in Salads with 8 Comments.

Apples, pears, and squash are starting to make their appearance at our farmer’s markets. I must admit that my thinking hasn’t quite caught up to autumn quite yet, since we still have tons of basil and another round of tomatoes ripening in our garden. However, we couldn’t hold ourselves back from such a bounty – and we’ve also been working to develop a recipe or two using apples for the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market.

We love apples most when they are raw, for their sweet taste and delicious crunch. So rather than cook them up, we thought we’d highlight their raw flavor in a fresh take on an old favorite salad of ours. This version uses a curry vinaigrette, which was the star of the show. The subtle spice was the perfect highlight to the sweet apples, pears, and golden raisins. I’ll have to admit this new version will be the one we’ll be using from now on.

Give it a try to start off the beginning of the harvest season! (Even if your weather hasn’t quite caught up yet!)

Apple and Pear Salad with Curry Vinaigrette
Serves four
An A Couple Cooks original for the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market

What You Need
1 apple (of any type; we used Pink Lady)
1 pear
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon real maple syrup (or honey)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad greens
A few tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), roasted if possible
A few tablespoons golden raisins

1 Make the vinaigrette: In a small canning jar, combine 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Shake vigorously to combine.

2  Prepare the fresh ingredients: Core and thinly slice the apply and pear. Wash the salad greens. If the pepitas are not roasted, place them in a dry pan over medium high heat, and toast for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan and watching constantly so they do not burn.

3  Plate the salad: Place salad greens on a plate; top with apple and pear slices and a sprinkling of golden raisins and pepitas. Drizzle with curry vinaigrette.

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