Today I made a salad with a pear, walnuts, and a lemon pepper vinaigrette.

The other ingredients were just what I had on hand. A Vidalia onion, cucumber, mixed greens, and radishes.

The vinaigrette was easy to make. A half cup of olive oil, a quarter cup of fresh lemon juice, a tablespoon of water, the zest of a lemon, and a healthful dose of ground pepper. Mix with the immersion blender and refrigerate what I didn’t use today.

I decided to name it the John Siracusa Salad. I mean, why not?

If you want to make your own version of the John Siracusa Salad, the only really critical ingredient, which is not to say the hypercritical ingredient, is walnuts.