Sauted Pears, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Salad
Photography by Aaron McLean.
This dish marries a variety of flavours: sweet caramelised pear, salt-cured prosciutto, bitter witlof and nutty blue cheese, which together result in a delicious antipasto salad. It’s simple, but for best results use good quality ingredients.
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 Buerre Bosc pears, firm but ripe
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 heads witlof
100 grams thinly sliced prosciutto
½ cup walnuts, roasted
100 grams Gorgonzola or other soft blue cheese
good balsamic vinegar
freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Halve the pears, remove the cores and cut each piece into 3 wedges. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the pears over a high heat until golden on both sides.
Drain on kitchen towels and cool.
To serve: Arrange the witlof, pears and prosciutto on a platter. Scatter over the walnuts and Gorgonzola. Just before serving, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and freshly ground pepper.
Witlof, or Belgian endive: a small cigar-shaped head of tightly packed leaves, creamy yellow in colour. It is grown in the dark; the leaves become green and bitter when exposed to light. To store, wrap the heads in paper towel and refrigerate in a plastic bag. Use as soon after buying as possible. The small crisp leaves are perfect in salads and the whole heads can be braised or roasted.
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Issue #98
We might be in the depths of winter, but the latest issue of dish will inspire you with delicious recipes to brighten even the most grim of days. We start with a selection of classic French bistro dishes – think beef bourguignon and creamy potatoes – before turning to sumptuous soups. Next, it’s all about warming curries and bowlfuls of noodles and dumplings, perfect for those chilly nights. In the mood for something sweet? Check out our delectable chocolate and caramel treats, or turn to our Food Fast section, full of desserts quick enough to make on a weeknight.