Dressing Up 2014 With A Prickly Pear!

Happy New Year!  To get things off to the right start, Tonia recommends a delicious salad dressing that brings the flavor (and the power) of the pear to your dish. Author of the Moosewood Restaurant Favorites Wynnie Stein told Tonia's Kitchen their Pear Thyme dressing is really easy to make.  Just take a fresh pear, fresh tyme water, apple cider vinegar, salt, 1/3 cup of olive oil, dijon mustard and some maple syrup for sweetness.  Put the ingredients in a blender, and while it's running on puree, pour in the oil. Everything should mix together and create and wonderfully tangy dressing that's a change from just plain old vinaigrette.

Pear- Thyme Dressing

Yields 1 generous cup

Time: 10 minutes

1 pear

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

1 to 3 teaspoons honey or maple syrup (optional)

Core the pear and cut it into chunks, no need to peel it. Put the pear, thyme, water, vinegar, salt, and black pepper into a blender and purée. With the blender running, slowly pour in the oil. Taste, and add mustard and honey or maple syrup, if you like.

VARIATIONS

• Use fresh lime juice instead of apple cider vinegar.

• Substitute an equal amount of tarragon for the thyme.