Roasted Red Onion and Pear Salad

This roasted red onion and pear salad is a harmonious blend of flavors, colors, and textures. The sweetness of the onion and fruit is balanced by a bracing citrus and mustard vinaigrette. Crunchy smoked almonds tie the whole salad together. We liked the salad so much we awarded it the grand prize in our Creative Salads contest. Here’s what we discovered when we prepared Carrie’s salad:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Roast the onions in a hot oven until softened and browned to temper their strong flavor. Cut the raw onion into small wedges, leaving the root end intact to hold each wedge together.
• Make sure to use fresh chopped thyme; dried thyme tastes dusty and bland unless it is fully hydrated.
• Smokehouse almonds, or salted, smoked almonds, add valuable flavor. Regular almonds, toasted and chopped, will do in a pinch.