Pear, Fennel and Arugula Salad with Lemon Tarragon Dressing and Pistachios

Ripe sweet Bosc pears, the sweet anise undertones of fennel and the peppery bite of arugula come together in a salad well suited for the transitioning of seasons. Dressed in a bright vinaigrette of lemon and freshly harvested tarragon, the arugula salad is finished with shaved Parmesan and pistachio nuts.

I spied the pears and fennel on the final day of our local farmer's market and knew that they needed to come home with me to find a place on The Savory Tart's menu. Fennel is one of my all time favorite vegetables (right after albums -- anything in the onion family). Uniquely fennel is not only a vegetable, its fronds also serve as an herb and it's dried seeds are used as a spice.

I love having a salad on the Thanksgiving table mostly because it offsets what tends to be such a rich and heavy meal. This would be perfect. I might also toss it with some pomegranate seeds and serve it on my holiday buffet.

I always look for the bulb with the most fronds because they look so nice when used as a garnish.

You will find fennel as an ingredient in other recipes on The Savory Tart, like

• Fennel, Leek and Artichoke Gratin
• Focaccia Stuffing with Sausage, Mushrooms and Fennel
• Maple Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Fennel and Onions
• Peach Bruschetta with Burrata, Fennel, Prosciutto and Arugula Oil

A suggestion: Double the recipe on the Lemon Tarragon Dressing. You will want leftovers.

Ingredients

I used Bosc pears with their warm red-brown skin and sturdy flesh that is sweet and retains its shape when dressed in a salad. Anjou, Bartlett, Seckle, Asian or Comice pears are other varieties that deliver on sweetness. (Anjou and Bartlett pears have a tendency to soften quickly; add them shortly before serving.)

• baby arugula
• bosc pears
• fennel bulb and fronds
• Parmesan cheese
• pistachios
• extra-virgin olive oil
• lemon
• shallot
• honey
• Dijon mustard
• fresh tarragon
• salt and pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

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Instructions

Hint: leave a useful hint here, like let the grill run for 4-5 minutes to burn off any remnants, then clean it. I like to use this bristle-free barbecue brush (affiliate link) for cleaning the grill.

Substitutions & Variations

• Lettuce - instead of using arugula, use mixed mesclun greens or mizuna. Baby spinach is also a good alternative
• Make it a Meal -- add sliced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken
• Orange -- instead of using lemon juice and zest, substitute the same measures of orange juice and zest
• Apples -- instead of pears, use a sliced sweet apple, such as Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp®
• Pecans, Pine Nuts or Hazelnuts -- while I love the combination of pistachios and pears, chopped pecans or pine nuts are a good substitute. Hazelnuts have a distinct flavor that complements pears and fennel nicely.
• Parmesan - substitute shaved Grana Padano, Manchego, aged gouda or cheddar. All share a similar nutty, sharp and salty profile
• Additions -- for your holiday table, add ⅓ cup pomegranate arils. Or add in chopped dates or dried cranberries.

Equipment

• microplane or zester
• 6-ounce jar or container for dressing
• salad bowl

Storage

Lemon Tarragon Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

Because the dressing contains fresh ingredients like lemon and tarragon and does not contain preservatives like dressings found on the grocery shelf, the dressing should be used within four or five days. (For this recipe, most of the dressing is required to dress the salad, leaving minimal leftovers.)

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