Pear Salad with Truffle Oil

Perhaps one of the most romantic, precious gifts in the world is a pear. I think of the scene in The Godfather II when a dashing, but poor Robert DeNiro gives his wife a pear that she takes gently into her hands remarking, “What a beautiful pear!” In Saving Mr. Banks, the father P.T. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, bestows pears to his wife throughout their marriage and even asks his little girl for pears while dying. His daughter is devastated as she tells her father that she dropped the precious fruit while racing back home to see him for the last time. 

No wonder I remember the three pear trees that hugged the south side of our property when my husband and I purchased our house fourteen years ago. They exploded with hundreds of beautiful white blossoms in the spring that drifted onto the mulch below making it look as if snow had fallen. Unfortunately, they are no longer there. The pears always fell from the tree well before they were ripe, and the deer and squirrels feasted. One by one, disease set in—a common plight for the pear tree— and just last year, I cut my last tree down. 

Truly, pears are one of the most beautiful fruits for no other has such an elegant shape and a delicate taste. They should be guarded and cared for; sadly, I let my fragile pear trees down. Still, the pear always survives. Believed to have originated in Western China, traces of pears have been found in prehistoric dwellings. By the time the Romans cultivated them, there were many types of pears, and today, there are 3,000 varieties. In the United States, pears are mostly grown in Oregon and Washington and harvested in late summer and early fall, hence the pears’ affiliation with autumn’s dishes. 

For me, pears, at the peak of ripeness, are made for salads with sweet dressings. Typically, they are just a component, but they deserve main-ingredient status as they do in this salad. The creamy goat cheese and crunchy walnuts add texture, but it’s the unexpected taste of truffle oil that crowns the pears, elevating their flavor. The magnificent pear is truly worthy of the honor.

Pear Salad with Truffle Oil

Serves 4

4 cups baby arugula

2 cups matchstick-sliced Bosc pears, ripened. They should be soft, but still have texture.

4 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled (Use truffle goat cheese if available.)

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup white or black truffle oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, pears, goat cheese and pecans. 

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey. Continue to whisk while adding the truffle oil and the salt.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently before serving.