This salad from recipe developer and fashion designer Peter Som is all about bringing the crunch factor to the Thanksgiving table. Shaved into thin slices, raw cauliflower provides excellent texture and structure, while crisp Asian pears bring a sweet-tart flavor with lovely floral notes. A bright citrusy dressing clings to every nook and cranny thanks to creamy peanut butter for just-enough thickness. When Som was growing up, Asian pears were a treat usually found in Chinatown (and instantly recognizable by their little foam-mesh protective sweaters) but now are more widely available. If you can’t find them, Bosc pears are a good substitute.
For the rest of Som’s Thanksgiving menu, see his recipes for Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Gochujang Brown Butter, Sweet Potato Tian, Dutch Oven No Mai Fan, Char Siu Wellington, and Milk Tea Bread Pudding With Crème Anglaise.
What you’ll need
Benriner Mandoline Slicer
$49 At Amazon
Medium Skillet
$70 $50 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Whisk
$14 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
8 Servings
Ingredients
Peanuts
Dressing and Assembly
Preparation
Peanuts
Step 1
Melt butter with orange juice, five-spice powder, salt, and sugar in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts and cook, stirring, until peanuts darken and orange juice mixture reduces to a glaze, 5–7 minutes. Scrape peanuts onto a plate; let cool.
Do Ahead: Peanuts can be prepared 3 days ahead. Let cool; store airtight at room temperature.
Dressing and Assembly
Step 2
Whisk peanut butter, oil, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar in a large bowl until smooth. Season dressing with salt.
Step 3
Cut cauliflower into quarters through stem; trim core. Thinly slice on a mandoline or with a sharp knife; coarsely chop any stray florets. Add cauliflower, Asian pear, arugula, cilantro, and half of peanuts to dressing and toss to coat.
Step 4
Divide salad among plates or arrange on a platter and top with remaining peanuts.
