Baked Pears with Lamb's Lettuce and Smoked Salmon
Sweet pears, savoury smoked salmon and fresh lamb's lettuce: this combination sounds unusual but wins you over from the very first bite. Warm pears filled with a ricotta-and-Parmesan mixture meet a crunchy walnut salad for a real flavour experience. It comes together quickly, looks stunning on the plate and works beautifully as a light main course or an elegant starter salad.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot
- 10 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 15 g rusk, finely grated; or dry breadcrumbs / crushed melba toast
- 2 sprigs sage
- 2 pears
- salt
- 75 g ricotta
- pepper
- lamb's lettuce, also sold as mâche or corn salad
- 20 g walnuts, chopped
- 0.5 lemon, juiced, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 slices smoked salmon
The ingredient amounts above scale with your choice. The value per serving stays the same, while the total in the pot grows with the number of servings.
All nutrition values side by side
| Nutrient | per serving (estimate) | Total for 2 Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 320 kcal | 640 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g | 48 g |
| Protein | 18 g | 36 g |
| Fat | 16 g | 32 g |
| Fibre | 4 g | 8 g |
| of which sugar | 14 g | 28 g |
How this is calculated
Target amount = ingredient amount × target servings ÷ base servings. The result is then rounded for kitchen use: from 100 g or ml to the nearest 5, between 1 and 99 to the nearest 1, pieces and spoons to half units, amounts below one unit to quarters, thirds or halves. Teaspoons and tablespoons also go down to an eighth, kilograms and litres stay finer.
Total = value per serving × target servings. The value per serving is unchanged, because ingredient amount and serving count change by the same factor.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Art. 32 and 33: nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, additionally allowed per portion.
- European Commission, Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU food law, setting of tolerances for nutrient values declared on a label, December 2012.
Nutrition values are estimates from the recipe record, not laboratory results. Even for checked labels the EU sets tolerances: for fat, protein and carbohydrates 20 percent in the range of 10 to 40 g per 100 g, and 2 g per 100 g below that. Home cooking varies more, because variety, size and cooking loss of the ingredients differ. Kitchen rounding also shifts the total slightly against the plain rule of three. Anyone who has to keep amounts exact for medical reasons, for example during a nutrition therapy prescribed by a doctor, should discuss them with a doctor or a registered dietitian. Your serving count is calculated in your browser only, it is neither stored nor transmitted.
Instructions
- Peel the shallot and finely dice it. Finely grate the Parmesan and rusk separately. Wash the sage, pick off the leaves and chop finely.
- Wash the pears, halve and core them. Simmer in salted water for about 5 minutes, then drain and place cut-side up on a baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C).
- Combine the ricotta with the diced shallot, chopped sage, grated Parmesan and grated rusk. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly into the pears and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the filling is lightly golden.
- Wash the lamb's lettuce and spin dry. Whisk the lemon juice with the walnut oil, mustard and a pinch of salt to make a dressing, then pour over the salad. Scatter over the chopped walnuts.
- Cut the smoked salmon into strips and toss through the salad. Arrange the freshly baked pears on top and serve straight away.
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Nutrition facts per serving (estimate)
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 4 g |
| of which sugar | 14 g |
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave the rusk out of the filling?
Yes. Without the rusk the filling turns out a little softer, but it tastes just as good and is then gluten-free.
Which pears are best for baking?
Firm varieties like Conference or Williams work well, as they hold their shape while simmering and baking.
Is this recipe low in carbs?
The pear and rusk add some carbohydrates, but the dish is moderate overall and fits well into a lower-carb way of eating.
Can I swap the smoked salmon for something else?
If salmon isn't your thing, try pan-fried prawns or smoked trout fillet instead.
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