Pear, fennel and haloumi salad with walnut and thyme dressing

Dani Venns side salad of pear, fennel and haloumi is complimentary to a variety of mains and meat dishes.

Recipe «Pear, fennel and haloumi salad with walnut and thyme dressing» presented in category Recipes / Vegetarian, to prepare this dish you will need no more 10 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 1/2 cup walnuts, 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme, finely chopped, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 lemon, juice only, strained , Salt flakes, to season, 4 pears, cut into 3cm thick wedges, 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved , 1/2 cup walnuts, 220g haloumi cheese, 2cm thick slices, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 a lemon, zest finely grated, Salt flakes, to season, 1 packet Symphony lettuce, or mixed lettuce, washed, leaves picked.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup walnuts 
• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme, finely chopped 
• 1/2 tsp honey 
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 lemon, juice only, strained 
• Salt flakes, to season 
• 4 pears, cut into 3cm thick wedges 
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved 
• 1/2 cup walnuts 
• 220g haloumi cheese, 2cm thick slices 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1/2 a lemon, zest finely grated 
• Salt flakes, to season 
• 1 packet Symphony lettuce, or mixed lettuce, washed, leaves picked 

Instructions

1. To make dressing, place walnuts, thyme, honey, olive oil and lemon juice in small food processor or blender, process until smooth dressing forms, season with salt.
2. Cut pears and immediately place into a large bowl of acidulated water (see notes), preferably with a few blocks of ice. Thinly slice or shave fennel using a mandolin and place into the same bowl of acidulated water.
3. Place walnuts on a small frypan or saucepan over low heat and toast for 5 minutes, stirring pan, until fragrant and colour of walnuts have deepened. Roughly chop up walnuts. Set aside.
4. Place haloumi into a mixing bowl, add olive oil and toss through to coat cheese. Heat a griddle pan or frypan over medium heat, add haloumi and cook on each side for about 2 – 3 minutes until a light golden colour is achieved on both sides. Remove from pan, toss with lemon juice and salt. Set aside.
5. To serve salad add salad leaves to serving plate, top with pears, fennel, toasted wanuts and haloumi, drizzle over dressing, garnish with fennel frongs and season.