Seasonal Mixed Greens with Pear, Fennel, Pomegranate, HERBS and Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette

A peak-autumn salad — bitter mixed greens with thinly sliced pear and fennel, jewel-bright pomegranate seeds, dried figs, slivered almonds, fresh herbs, and a sharp lemon-Dijon dressing

Serves 4–6 as a side · 15 min active · 15 min total · autumn / early winter · midday or early evening

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Salad

• 6 cups mixed greens (arugula, baby spinach, watercress, radicchio, frisée — or any peak-fall mix)

• 1 ripe pear (Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou), thinly sliced (mandoline ideal)

• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly shaved (mandoline ideal)

• 4–6 radishes, thinly sliced

• ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds (arils)

• ¼ cup slivered raw almonds, lightly toasted

• ½ cup soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

• 4–6 dried figs (Black Mission or Calimyrna), thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely minced

• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely minced

• 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely minced

Lemon-Dijon vinaigrette

• ¼ cup single-estate extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (whole-grain or smooth)

• 1 tsp raw honey

• pinch Himalayan pink salt

• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Make the vinaigrette. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.

2. Build the salad. Place greens in a wide shallow serving bowl. Layer pear slices, fennel shavings, radish slices, pomegranate seeds, slivered almonds, goat cheese, and dried fig slices.

3. Scatter fresh herbs across the top.

4. Dress. Drizzle vinaigrette generously across the surface, or serve alongside for diners to dress their own. Add herbs and dressing right before serving — pomegranate seeds and herbs lose their structural brightness if dressed too early.

Enhancement Suggestions

1. Manchego or aged sheep cheese instead of goat cheese — pairs beautifully with pear and pomegranate; structurally Spanish.

2. Toasted pistachios + walnuts mixed with almonds for textural variety.

3. Pomegranate molasses drizzle in addition to vinaigrette — Persian/Levantine flavor profile that elevates dramatically.

4. Sumac dust across the surface — bright tart flavor that pairs perfectly with pear and pomegranate.

5. Truffled honey drizzle — for celebration meals.

6. Slow-roasted radicchio quarters instead of raw — adds bitterness depth and a warm element to the cold salad.

7. Persimmon (Fuyu) when in season — replace pear with thinly sliced Fuyu persimmon for an October–November variation.

Sourcing: Mixed greens, pear, fennel, radish, pomegranate from a local farmers' market or CSA share at peak autumn — heritage pear varieties (Bosc, Comice, Bartlett, Anjou, Seckel) carry significantly more flavor than commodity supermarket pears; backyard pear and fig trees are productive perennials in USDA zones 5+ (pear) and 7+ (fig). Pomegranates: California-grown from Frog Hollow Farm or Apricot Lane Farms direct, or local farmers' market in subtropical regions. Slivered raw almonds: California-grown from Apricot Lane Farms direct or small Central Valley grower; for shipped, One Degree Organic Foods. Soft fresh goat cheese: local goat dairy at the farmers' market is the gold standard; for shipped, Cypress Grove or Laura Chenel (small-batch Sonoma producers). Dried figs: Calimyrna or Black Mission from a local farmers' market, Bautista Family Organic, or Sun Valley Orchards. Single-estate extra virgin olive oil from Gustiamo, Eataly, or Olio2Go. Dijon mustard: Edmond Fallot (small-batch Burgundian) — significantly more flavorful than mass-market Grey Poupon; whole-grain options from Maille or Pommery. Raw honey from local apiarist within 30 miles. Fresh herbs from windowsill or farmers' market herb vendor.