Recipe: Pancetta Pear Hazelnut Garden Salad

Salads are so simple, yet they add the perfect accompaniment or entree for almost any meal. Generally when we think of salad we think of just vegetables or fruits, but sometimes adding that one extra ingredient or two can make the world of difference.

This salad is so simple but so sexy, it offers so many different flavors, we promise your mouth will be in shock.

Pancetta Pear Hazelnut Garden Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 Box of pre-washed fresh mixed garden lettuce
2 Chives finely chopped
2 Handfuls of chopped hazelnuts
8-12 Slices of pancetta (sliced and diced)
2 pears cut into 1/8's
Parmesan cheese shavings


Dressing:
3 Tsp of Dijon mustard
3 Tsp of Honey
1/8 Cup of Extra virgin olive oil
The juice of 1/4 a lemon
4 Pinches of Ground Sea Salt
8 Turns of Ground Pepper


Putting it Together:

Salad:

Make the dressing, adding the ingredients in order into a measuring cup or bowl, mix everything well together with a fork or small whisk, set aside.

In a frying pan add a couple swigs of extra virgin olive oil, turn the burner heat to medium, add the pears which should be peeled of skin and cut in to 1/8's. Let the pears cook for about 2 mins, then add your chopped pancetta slices and chopped hazelnuts. Let them cook until they are golden brown. Once finished, set this aside in a separate dish.

Take out four salad bowls or plates, start by placing two nice handfuls of lettuce on each plate, then put and equal amount of the finely chopped chives. Add your pancetta, pear and hazelnut mixture, equally divided of course, place on top of your lettuce and chives. Pour your already prepared dressing on each plate, then top each plate of with some parmesan cheese shaving, and the best part...serve and eat.

Hint: The easiest way to make parmesan cheese shavings is to use a vegetable peeler and to simply run it along the side of your parmesan chunk.