PECORINO AND PEAR SALAD

Pecorino and Pear Salad image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories salads and dressings, side dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
1 fennel bulb
6 1/2 ounces aged Italian pecorino
4 tablespoons pear vinegar or balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 firm but ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Coarse sea salt
4 small sprigs tarragon

Steps:

Place fava beans in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer 3 minutes. Drain, allow to cool and peel outer skins.
Trim fennel bulb, quarter and remove core. Slice paper-thin on a mandoline. Place in a bowl with fava beans.
Finely grate 1/2 ounce cheese. Cut the rest in paper-thin slices and set aside. Combine vinegar and oil in a small bowl, stir in grated cheese and pour over fennel and favas. Toss. Set aside. Cut pears in half vertically. Remove cores. Slice paper-thin, vertically. Place in another bowl and toss with lemon juice.
To assemble, divide fennel and fava beans among four salad plates. On top, make three alternating layers of pecorino and pear slices, ending with pears. Scatter pine nuts, sprinkle with sea salt and garnish each plate with a sprig of tarragon. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 741, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 75 grams, Fat 39 grams, Fiber 24 grams, Protein 35 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 1253 milligrams, Sugar 42 grams