Arugula Salad with Roasted Pears, Beets and Goat Cheese

Arugula is a peppery, aromatic salad green that is becoming more popular in the U.S. The Italians have been very fond of Arugula for many years. Try it in this salad and you will understand why they love it.

Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Â½ tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

3 medium roasted beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (if not in season then use 1 can (15 ounces) whole beets, drained and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges

1 Bosc pear, sliced in half

Â½ tablespoon honey

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, toasted and chopped

6 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature, sliced into 12 rounds

8 ounces (1 bunch) arugula, stemmed and washed well

Instructions

Brush each half of the pear with honey. Turn broiler to high and place rack in middle of oven. Roast pear until golden about 5-8 minutes. Cool and slice into 8 wedges
In a small bowl, whisk together shallot, vinegar, orange juice, oregano, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Place beets in a small bowl. Pour 1/3 of the dressing over beets; toss to coat.
Place arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle arugula with remaining dressing, and toss to combine. Divide among plates, and top each serving with some of the sliced beets, walnuts, pears and goat cheese.

Terri's Tips:

If you don't have shallots, use purple onion and 1 garlic clove, minced

Don't burn the walnuts, it will make them bitter

Goat cheese and pears go very well with a Sauvignon Blanc wine

Wash the Arugula well before using, the leaves hold a fair amount of grit