Honey Roasted Pear Salad (the best you've ever eaten)

This salad I am about to share with you is hands-down the yummiest salad I've ever eaten. It's better than any I've tried at any restaurant, it's so yummy it makes me want to eat a whole bowlful, all by itself. I am not usually a huge salad fan, to be honest, but this salad? This one has me reaching for seconds.
And I invented it.

It happened one Thursday when I was cooking for my parents' weekly dinner; I'd planned steak with mushrooms, baked potatoes and salad, but when I reached into the fridge the tomatoes had gone soft and squishy. There was, however, a lone pear. And that gave me an idea. I'd heard of pears being used in salads, and I reckoned if I roasted this one, it would taste better.

The rest is salad history, set to the sound-track of much delighted groaning and guests exclaiming, "BEST SALAD WE'VE EVER TASTED".

Honey Roasted Pear Salad (with almonds and fennel seeds)

INGREDIENTS:

• Spinach leaves, half a bag, washed
• One pear, cut roughly into medium sized chunks (skin on)
• sliced or chopped almonds (one or two handfuls)
• fennel seeds (a sprinkling)
• runny honey
• olive oil
• feta cheese(optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Place the washed spinach leaves into a salad bowl; I like to roughly tear mine in half as they're easier to eat.
3. Place the chopped pear into a roasting dish lined with baking paper, in a single layer.
4. Sprinkle over the almonds and fennel seeds
5. Drizzle runny honey and olive oil over the lot
6. Place in the oven and bake for approximately ten minutes or until golden

7. Scoop the roasted pear, almonds and fennel seeds into your salad bowl and drizzle the baking juices over the top (this is your dressing); toss together.

Optional: Crumble feta cheese on top after tossing. I did this the first time I made the salad and it was a lovely sharp contrast to the sweetness of the pear. The next time I had no feta in the fridge, but it was still delicious, even without it.

The fennel seeds give a subtle aniseed flavour and the almonds give a lovely crunch when combined with the warmth of the honeyed pear.

Altogether it just works and makes me want to eat more salad!

Let me know if you try it what you think - and if you like it, please share the recipe...

Enjoy!

More of my Recipe Faves HERE