Pears

Stemilt’s d’Anjou pears are a perfect choice for this salad plating; sweet, juicy and flavorful, with a firm, dense structure that keeps them looking pretty after they are sliced and plated. I tend to use some sort of citrus with all apples or pears I slice… to keep them looking their best (some varieties tend to brown when sliced) and an acidic component (like lemon, lime, or orange) helps curb this process. With this salad, anything other than orange juice may be too harsh in flavor. To make things easy, I will arrange my undressed greens up to an hour in advance by placing them in a bowl topped with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap before transferring them to the fridge for keeping. I’ll toast the walnuts and set them aside. And, make the dressing and pop it in the fridge, taking it out about a half hour before serving to get it to room temp. I’ll also get my pomegranate seeds removed and keep them fresh in the fridge just before plating. So, all that needs to be done just before you are ready to eat is slice up your pears and persimmons. I prefer the Fuyu persimmons in this plating (over the Hachiya variety). The Fuyu persimmon is orange in color and kind of short and squat, like a tomato. It’s subtly sweet and beautifully brilliant in color. It’s best when fully ripe (bright orange in color) and peeled to remove its less-than-pleasing skin. And… pomegranate seeds provide the perfect little pop of freshness (and amazing color).