Endive Spears with Blue Cheese, Toasted Pecans, and Sauteed Pears

By KDCooks

This is an elegant salad - great for a dinner party!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1 pear, peeled and diced
• 1 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 12 endive spears
• 1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
• Watercress sprigs, for garnish
• 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese (for presentation)

Preparation

Step 1

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the butter and sugar. Add the diced pears and cook until well caramelized, approximately 8 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, fresh ground pepper and olive oil.

Add the mixture to the blue cheese. Assemble the spears 1 by 1, starting with the cheese then the sauteed pear and topping them off with a toasted pecan. These can be garnished with a sprig of watercress or other herb, if desired.

Arrange the spears on a plate by first making a small mound of cream cheese and then sticking each spear into the cream cheese in a floral, 3-dimensional pattern.