Butter Lettuce Salad with Maple Walnuts, Pear & Pecorino

Information

Ingredients list

For the maple walnuts:

• ½ cup walnut halves
• 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Pinch of salt

For the dressing:

• ½ cup grapeseed oil
• ½ cup pear juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of caster sugar

For the salad:

• 1 head butter lettuce, washed and leaves separated
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly shaved
• 1 ripe pear, thinly shaved
• Maple walnuts (from above)
• Pecorino cheese, thinly sliced or shaved

Method

• Make the maple walnuts: Heat a dry frypan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and drizzle with maple syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to coat. Once sticky and slightly caramelised (2–3 minutes), sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside to cool.
• Prepare the dressing:strong> In a bowl or jar, combine the grapeseed oil, pear juice, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, salt, and caster sugar. Whisk or shake well to emulsify.
• Assemble the salad:strong> In a large serving bowl, gently toss the butter lettuce with the dressing until lightly coated. Add the shaved fennel and pear, and scatter the cooled maple walnuts over the top. Finish with slices of pecorino cheese.