Friday, April 25, 2014

ROASTED PEAR SALAD - Nick Stellino

No photos today, just one fabulous salad.  It is based on a recipe in Nick Stellino's Mediterranean Flavors.  I made it for our cooking club lunch yesterday and I was asked for the recipe.  So, here it is!

ROASTED PEAR SALAD.  Serves 4.  Wine Suggestion - Cabernet Sauvignon
*  1 tablespoon butter, melted
*  1 tablespoon honey
*  1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
*  4 firm pears, preferably Bosc, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
*  2 tablespoons dry sherry
*  2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (champagne vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar)
*  1 tablespoon light olive oil or vegetable oil
*  1/8 teaspoon black pepper
*  4-5 ounces arugula or baby salad greens (Loved the arugula!)
*  1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
*  1/3 cup of crumbled goat cheese (Gorgonzola and feta also work.)
*  1/3 cup prosciutto, cut into matchsticks
     Preheat the oven to 375º.   Toast pecans, stirring from time to time, for about 5 minutes.  Increase oven heat to 500ºF.  
     In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter, honey and cinnamon.  Add the pears and toss well.  When the oven is fully heated, spread the pear mixture on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing them once, halfway through.
     In the same bowl, combine the sherry, vinegar, oil and black pepper.  Add the roasted pears and stir to coat completely with the vinaigrette.  The recipe can be prepared to this point 1-2 days ahead of time.  Simply cover and refrigerate.  Remove from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before you plan to serve the salad.  For a warm salad, heat the pears in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
     The salad can be prepared while the pears are still warm or after they've cooled to room temperature.  To assemble, place a bed of the arugula on each serving plate and top with the pears.  Sprinkle with the pecans, cheese and prosciutto, drizzle with any of the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

It's lunchtime as I write this.  Hmmm... I wish I had leftovers.

No comments:

Post a Comment