So. It’s May. Which yeah yeah means warmer weather. But you would think I live south of the Mason-Dixon the way the temperatures have been around here. It’s been in the 70s since March. March! Hell, it usually snows in May and no one can get plants in the ground til after Mother’s Day. Now we’re all kicking ourselves for not planting sooner to take advantage of the longest growing season Colorado has seen in some time. (Until it snows this week, of course, which is totally will now that I’ve written this).
Inspired by the increasing temperatures (and the sudden bevy of mosquitoes that have arrived months earlier than they planned to) I thought a nice salad with grilled accoutrements was the perfect way to celebrate our unexpected streak of sunshine. Hello sunshine.
Grilled Pear Salad
–2 pears, cored and sliced
–1 zucchini, halved and then sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
–1 TBSP Italian dressing
–1 handful of your choice of berries (blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries), washed, dried, and sliced (if applicable)
–4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
–1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
–1/4 cup chopped pecans
–1 TBSP butter
Fire up the grill. Your goal? A consistent medium temperature that is neither too hot nor too cool. Toss the zucchini pieces in the salad dressing and add them to the grill first. If you grill runs incredibly hot you may want to sear the pears on the upper shelf. Grill the zucchini and pear pieces until both are warm and tender but not charred.
To toast the pecans, add the pecans and the butter to a cookie sheet or metal pie pan and bake for 5-10 minutes. Swirl the pan a few times to make sure the nuts are evenly toasted. My mama usually adds a little salt to hers at the end, so if you do that remember, just a pinch will do ya! Enjoy!
Dammit Jim, I’m not a doctor…
Serves: 4 as a meal
Calories: 275 per serving
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