Recipe: Buckwheat and pear salad with spiced maple, almond and sesame seed clusters

Olivia Moore's buckwheat and pear salad with spiced maple, almond and sesame seed clusters. Photo / Olivia Moore - That Green Olive

When I want a salad on a winter’s night, I mean a salad like this.

Pear, spiced maple and toasted nuts are just amazing together, and you really can’t get a more wintry yet fresh flavour combination.

This salad is filling enough for a meal, thanks to the buckwheat and nuts. The ingredients are very simple, yet they each contribute a big flavour and texture to make this salad something special. Enjoy this one on a sunny, winter’s evening!

Visit Olivia’s website for more recipes: www.thatgreenolive.com

Salad

Serves 6

• 2/3 cup buckwheat
• 1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 2-3 tbsp sesame seeds

Seed clusters

• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/4 cup buckwheat
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp crunchy almond butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

Maple almond butter dressing

• 1 tbsp hot water
• 1 tbsp crunchy almond butter
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. To cook the buckwheat, place in a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes, until soft but still retaining bite. Add more water as necessary. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the clusters in a bowl. Spread out on a prepared baking tray and press with the back of a spoon to compact. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Allow to cool before breaking into clusters.
4. To make the dressing, whisk everything together to combine.
5. To assemble, toss buckwheat with pear, red onion and parsley to distribute. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated. Serve the salad topped with the clusters and sesame seeds.