Mixed Greens with Pears, Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries and Spiced Pecans -- The Last Harvest Table

Fall is coming. The sumac is going red, same as every year, first plant to turn, the way things that have something to say speak before anyone else. I gathered sumac berries this week — dried them on the mesh rack in the garage, which now has its permanent place in the fall routine alongside the venison and the drying wild onion rack. September is the preparation month: everything getting stored, everything getting ready, the summer kitchen transitioning to the winter kitchen.

Caleb has thirty days in residential. I got a letter Monday, written by hand on notebook paper, which is what you do when you do not have a phone. He said he was okay. He said the counselors were good. He said the cultural component — the sweat lodge ceremonies, the traditional practices, the talking circles — was doing something that the previous year of outpatient had not been able to reach. He said he did not know how to describe it yet except that something was connecting that had not connected before. He said tell everyone hello. I told everyone hello. Danny said: "Good boy." Same two words. Still the same weight.

The garden is winding down for the season. I pulled the spent tomato plants Sunday and composted them. The last Cherokee Purples of the year — picked them Saturday, ate them standing in the garden, warm from the afternoon sun, with nothing on them, no salt, just the tomato. The best way to eat the last tomato of the season: standing in the garden, in September, knowing you will not do this again for nine months, tasting it like you are trying to commit it to memory. Which you are. Which is why you stand still.

Deer season opens in three weeks. The rifle is cleaned. The stand is checked. The freezer has made room. The preparation is what Danny taught me and the preparation is ready.

After I ate that last Cherokee Purple standing in the garden on Saturday, I wanted to make something that honored the turn — not a summer recipe, not quite a winter one either, but something that lived right in the seam between them. This salad is that. The pears are what September tastes like when the tomatoes are finished. I made it for supper the same evening, and I thought about Caleb the whole time I was putting it together — something connecting that had not connected before is exactly what fall feels like, every year, if you let yourself pay attention to it.

Mixed Greens with Pears, Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries and Spiced Pecans

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 6 cups mixed salad greens
• 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• For the spiced pecans:
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the dressing:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Toast the pecans. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecans, brown sugar, cayenne, and salt. Stir continuously for 4–5 minutes until the sugar has caramelized and the pecans are fragrant and coated. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and spread in a single layer to cool completely. Break apart any clusters once cool.
2. Make the dressing. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Season with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed.
3. Slice the pears. Core and thinly slice the pears just before assembling to prevent browning. If preparing ahead, toss the slices in a small amount of lemon juice.
4. Assemble the salad. Spread the mixed greens on a large serving platter or divide among individual plates. Arrange pear slices across the top. Scatter the dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and spiced pecans evenly over the greens.
5. Dress and serve. Drizzle the dressing over the assembled salad just before serving. Toss gently at the table or leave arranged for guests to serve themselves.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 210mg