This recipe is in categories Healthy eating, Party food, Salads, Snacks, Starters,

Difficulty: 1
Comments: Just take care cutting the pears in half.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Number of servings: 4
Serving suggestions: Serve with lovely warm bread
This is a vegetarian recipe

Also lovely as a light lunch – especially when the first pears are ready and the sun is still warm enough to eat in the garden!

You may use whichever nuts you choose – pine nuts are good for instance – although walnuts are more traditional.

• 2 ripe eating pears
• 1 small crisp lettuce, washed.
• 80g (3oz) chopped dates
• 45g (2oz) chopped walnuts
• a little parsley chopped
• a little lemon juice 
• mayonnaise or French dressing

1. Peel and cut the pears in half
2. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice to stop them going too brown
3. Use a sharp spoon to take out the core, then scoop out a little of the flesh to make a hollow
4. Chop the flesh and mix with dates, walnuts, chopped parsley and a little of the lettuce finely chopped
5. Add in some mayonnaise or French dressing to your taste
6. Arrange some small crisp lettuce leaves on 4 plates, place the pears on top, hollowed out side up
7. Spoon into each pear the date and nut mixture to make a little heap in the hollow
8. Garnish with a little sprig of parsley