When I began pondering this column, I was walking down memory lane. Again. Isn’t it odd how the older we get, the more we tend to do that?
Yes, these recipes include fruit and are referred to as pear salad and pineapple salad, but they’re not really what their names imply.
To confuse the matter further, these “salads” were served as a dessert when my mama wanted something a little lighter on those hot and humid Alabama summer days. Miz Betty has never cared for pears, canned OR fresh. However, she adores pineapple. So in our family, when she made up these goodies, she used pineapple rings.
I decided to share both versions with you. For these recipes (and I use that term very loosely this week), canned fruit is the way to go.
For the pear salad, you need that soft sweetness that is found in the canned variety. Using a fresh pear would not give the same results.
As for the mayonnaise, I always use Duke’s because it doesn’t contain any sugar. You want the slight tartness of the mayo to pair against the sweetness of the pears.
Pineapple Salad
I recommend using the pineapple slices packed in juice instead of heavy syrup. Simply drain the pineapple slices, lay them out on paper towels and then blot dry. These are especially pretty placed on curly lettuce leaves.
Then, add a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise on top of the pineapple ring. And, just because this was what my mama did, top with coarsely shredded cheddar cheese. (And yes, buy a block of cheddar and shred it yourself. It will taste better, trust me.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Peaches with Cottage Cheese, Toasted Pecans And Honey
I coarsely chopped several pecan halves for the toasted pecans and put them in a dry skillet over low heat. Stir them constantly for a few minutes and remove them from the heat. Let them cool for a minute or so.
Drain the peach halves and pat them dry with paper towels. Spoon a tablespoon of cottage cheese into the peach half. Top with the toasted pecans. When ready to serve, drizzle with honey.
As I’m working on this column, Sweet Harold casually mentions that he had one for breakfast and put a little crumbled bacon on top before drizzling with honey. There is no picture of his creation, but you may want to file that idea away for another version when you make these at home. I imagine that concoction would be a unique item on a brunch menu this summer.
One more Lolly pondering: I wonder why pear salads aren’t offered on more meat-and-three lunch menus? Restaurateurs, take note!
Pear Salad
A large-sized can of pears usually has 5 to 6 halves. After draining well, spread the pear halves out on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat dry. You can either line a serving plate with lettuce leaves or use a deviled egg plate, depending on how many servings you’re making.
You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise for each pear half. I usually spoon the mayo into a small bowl and stir well to be extra creamy.
Carefully spoon the mayonnaise into each pear half and top with finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese. If you want to be extra fancy, place a maraschino cherry on top of the cheese.
April 16, 2021 at 06:00AM
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Fleur de Lolly: A trip down memory lane with fruit salads - Henry Herald
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