Pan-Roasted Pear Salad

By Dunjab

As an alternative to baked or poached pears, try this pan roasting recipe. Arugula or mizuna add a
mild peppery flavor that is well matched by the buttery sweetness of pears and the dark rich sweetness of reduced balsamic vinegar. The light and buttery baby spinach used here goes well with the clean touches of Fromage Blanc and the roasted crunch of the hazelnuts. The pears themselves are great
with ice cream or a little crème frâiche!

Ingredients

• 3 Pears, ripe but still firm, quartered and cored
• 1 small minced shallot
• 2 1/2 t sugar
• 1/2 head green leaf lettuce torn in large pieces
• 2 T plus 2 t olive oil
• 1 C (packed) mizuna, rough chop in large pieces
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 4 oz Fromage Blanc
• 4 T balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 30mins

Preparation

Step 1

Toss pears in 2 t sugar, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Heat 2 T oil in large skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add pears cut-side down in a single layer and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Cook on other side to light brown, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the balsamic vinegar, gently stir until pears are coated. Transfer to a plate and cool, cut in half to make small bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, whisk remaining oil, balsamic vinegar, shallots and 1/2 t sugar, season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce, mizuna and cooled pears. Divide among plates and top with small dollops of Fromage Blanc and a sprinkling of roasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately.