Growing up we had the most beautiful pear tree in our backyard. By the time September arrived we were ready to enjoy the sweet ripened fruit right off the tree (while trying to avoid the bees and squirrels who enjoyed the pears just as much as we did!) Boy, do we miss that tree! Fortunately we have several large fruit farms near us where we can get delicious fruits just like the ones we enjoyed growing up. This recipe for Grilled Eggplant and Pear Salad combines our own garden fresh eggplant with sweet Fall pears. It’s the perfect starter dish to any meal as it is light and the combination of sweet sauteed pears with savory feta cheese tastes incredible!
Grilled Eggplant and Pear Salad Ingredients
- Eggplants
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pears
- Feta
- Walnuts
- Honey
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Garlic
- Pepper
Eggplant seems to intimidate some people but it really is not difficult to work with. Although you don’t need to peel the eggplant, we prefer to remove the peel for this salad. Choosing small eggplants is best, as they are tender and the seeds are edible; all you need to do is slice the eggplant! The kind of pear you choose is up to you! For this salad, we used a combination of Red Anjou and Bartlett pears. The Bartlett pears are very sweet and juicy while the Red Anjou has a slightly tangier flavor. Whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong. Once, you add the honey/balsamic dressing to the salad, the pears take on a whole different flavor. Did we mention yet that this is the perfect Fall salad? So delicious!
Grilling The Eggplant
Slice the eggplant into ½ inch slices and brush both sides of each slice with extra virgin olive oil. Preheat the grill to medium. Place sliced eggplant on a grilling pan or you can place the slices right on the grill grates. Be aware that eggplant does not take long to cook when cut into slices. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until tender. That’s all there is to it — easy right?!
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Sautéing the Pears
It’s very easy to sauté pears and the best part about it is, no added sugar! Warm sautéed pears don’t just taste amazing on this salad but they are also great to top everything from Greek yogurt to oatmeal to pancakes to toast. Pears give so many dishes a cozy Fall flavor, plus they are high in fiber and have no added sugar. Bonus points for that! Peel, core and slice pears in 1/4 inch slices. Place pears in a nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Heat over medium-high heat until softened and caramelized, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Putting It All Together!
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, pepper and garlic. You’re now ready to assemble the salad. Arrange the grilled eggplant slices on a platter. Add the sautéed pears over the eggplant. Scatter the chopped walnuts and feta cheese over the top. Drizzle the dressing over the entire dish. Enjoy making and serving one of our favorite Fall salads.
More Pear Recipes!
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Grilled Eggplant and Pear Salad
Ingredients
- 4 eggplants peeled and sliced into rounds
- 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pears peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch
- 1 tbsp. water
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tbsp. honey
- 1 garlic clove minced
- pepper dash or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium
- Brush the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on both sides.
- Grill the eggplant over medium heat until lightly browned and tender, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and water.
- Add the pear slices and cook until they begin to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, pepper and garlic.
- Arrange the grilled eggplant slices on a platter.
- Add the sautéed pears over the eggplant.
- Scatter the chopped walnuts and feta cheese over the top. Drizzle the dressing over the entire dish and enjoy!
