My mama didn’t like to cook, but she could open a can and “Menia’s pear salad” always showed up on church reunion tables each fall. We’ve taken a truly vintage Southern classic from childhoods and ramped up the protein for a holiday or anytime side dish.
For the dressing, use a hand mixer to whip together the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of pear juice and salt.
Cut lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
Remove stems from half the cherries and cut into halves.
At serving time, toss lettuce with the cut cherries.
Add dressing a little at the time until the lettuce and cherries are lightly dressed.
Arrange on a serving platter and spoon pears over the lettuce mixture.
Arrange on a serving platter and spoon pears over the lettuce mixture.
Garnish with stemmed cherries.
Serve chilled.
Culinary Adventurist Wendy Perry is a home economist, blogger and NC food artisan. (WendyPerry.com)
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With apples, cranberries and candied walnuts
