No, I didn't make lemonade, I made hummus, which I whipped up today as part of the boys' lunch. I toasted some pita bread and grabbed some random things out of the fridge to make a sort of crudite plate; sliced leftover D'anjou pear, shredded sharp white cheddar, sliced carrots and avocado, chunks of tomato, green olives, and the last slice of deli bologna, cubed.
The hummus turned out good; nothing special, just a really good hummus. While I was putting together lunch plates, I started thinking about a salad because I had the sliced carrots, the cheddar, and the tomato out. I figured I would save a little of the bologna to add to it ( which Pop thought was disgusting), throw on some ranch and have a big, ranchy salad. I put the things I was not using away, including a half a lemon I had left. As I walked away from the fridge, vinaigrette popped into my head. Lemon-fennel vinaigrette. I washed the lettuce, and some arugula I had bought because I had never tried it (spicy, musky, and exciting!) but didn't have plans for. I whipped up the vinaigrette: lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, mashed dried fennel seeds, olive oil. It was overly tangy. I added a bit more olive oil. Still on the tangy side. I decided to let it sit for a bit as I assembled the salad: arugula, red leaf lettuce, sliced sweet onions, carrots, avocado.....I looked over and saw the pear. Normally, I'm wary about using fruit in salads, but I felt like I should use the pear. I tasted the vinaigrette again and was pleased to find the flavors had blended a little more. I drizzled it over the salad and finished it off with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Voila! Avocado and Pear Salad with Arugula and Lemon-Fennel Vinaigrette.
I was right about the pear. The subtle sweetness and muskiness balanced out the tangy vinaigrette. The arugula and provided a spicy finish and the avocado lent a nice creamy texture. The carrots gave the salad a needed crunch, and the fennel and onions brought everything together. It was complex and delicious, though I don't think Pop was as excited about it as I was.
