In California, February is the in-between. Days just barely begin to lengthen, telling me we're almost out of winter. Seasonal produce slightly shifts, hinting at spring approaching. Arugula, artichokes, tender little greens like sprouts and watercress - all sorts of green veggies come to fruition. Our citrus trees are fully covered in lemons and limes, while we savor the dwindling pears of winter. And, as we plan our garden for March, the first of the plum blossoms begin to bloom: the first sign of spring. 

I first picked up a bag of beautifully colored pears, with a few days left to ripen, thinking I would plan out one last wintry dessert or preserve. Something along the lines of baked pears soaked in mulling spices, yet the season had passed me by and it felt out of place. Searching for inspiration, I looked up a list of in-season produce and felt excited by the prospect of a salad that merged the seasons. 

Baby arugula, Meyer lemon, ricotta, and pear make this salad delicately comforting and fresh, a little way to herald Spring. 

I caramelized the pears in a bit of butter, brown sugar, and lemon juice, just barely cooking the slices, which mellowed out the fruity sweetness and added some caramelization. A bed of arugula tossed in lemon and olive oil sits atop a layer of creamy herbed ricotta. I topped it with a few earthy pine nuts to compliment the pears. 

This salad is surprisingly balanced, sweet and savory, fresh and creamy, pulling in elements of neighboring seasons. Devour in one sitting with a few friends before or after the main course, or enjoy during brunch alongside any side. As for me, I had my serving immediately following a late afternoon photo session. 

I got so much joy from creating this Sautéed Pear, Arugula and Ricotta Salad recipe, finding new ways to celebrate seasonal produce. Enjoy!

Sautéed Pear, Arugula and Ricotta Salad

Ingredients

Sautéed Pears

• 3-4 pears, sliced and tossed with lemon juice

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Herbed Ricotta

• 1 cup ricotta

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 tablespoon thyme, about 4 sprigs, finely chopped

• zest of 1 lemon

• pinch of salt

Arugula Salad

• 4 cups baby arugula, loosely measured

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• pinch of salt

• 1/3 cup roasted pine nuts

Method

1. In a medium pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the pear slices and brown sugar to the pan, sautéing until lightly caramelized and soft, careful not to over cook as the pears with fall apart, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta, milk*, thyme, lemon zest, and salt until creamy. If needed, add a bit more milk to the ricotta mixture so that it is easily spreadable.

   *depending on how dry or moist your ricotta is, you will need to add a bit of milk to make it creamy

3. Toss the arugula in the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

4. Assemble your salad by spreading a layer of ricotta mixture onto your plate or platter. Lay down a bed of dressed arugula, followed by some caramelized pears, and top with roasted pine nuts.