Roasted Pear And Clementine Salad

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large firm, ripe Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

Clementine-Balsamic Salad Dressing
3 medium clementines, seedless tangerines or oranges, peeled and separated into segments
4 large heads butterhead (Boston or Bibb) lettuce
½ cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts or slivered almonds, toasted
3 ounces Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, soft goat cheese (chevre) or feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Instructions Checklist

• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, salt and black pepper. Gently toss pear wedges with vinegar mixture and spread them out in a shallow roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until pears are tender (baking time depends on ripeness of pears) and beginning to brown, turning pears twice. Remove pan from oven and set on a wire rack. Let pears cool in pan. When cool, lift pears from pan juices, if present; discard liquid. 

  Meanwhile, prepare Clementine-Balsamic Salad Dressing. Transfer salad dressing to a medium bowl. Gently stir clementine segments into dressing. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

  To serve, remove 16 outer leaves of lettuce and set aside. Shred remaining lettuce by slicing into 1/4-inch strips. Arrange reserved lettuce leaves on eight chilled salad plates. Top each with a tall mound of shredded lettuce. Divide dressing mixture evenly among the salads. Top salads with pear wedges and pistachio nuts. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola. Makes 8 servings.

TIP:  Prepare pears 4 hours ahead of making the salad.