Belgian Endive and Pear Salad from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St. John 2 large endive heads, sliced lengthwise ½ cup Italian parsley leaves, separated from stems ½ cup toasted walnuts ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola, Danish bleu or Stilton cheese 1 firm Bartlett or Bosch pear, cored and thinly sliced Fleur de sel and freshly ground white pepper Dressing: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons minced shallots Cut off the bottoms of the endive. Slice and separate the larger endive leaves. Wash under cold running water. Place the endive, pears, parsley, cheese and walnuts in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. In a bowl or a lidded jar combine the oil, vinegar, shallots and lemon juice. Whisk or shake well. Drizzle over the salad. Toss to coat. Season to taste with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Serve immediately. If you plan to make ahead of time, rub the pear slices with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, or slice and add at the last minute. You may also use Washington Delicious apples as I did in the photo above because my pears were overly ripe.
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