Frisée Pear Blue Cheese Bowl (Print Version)

Vibrant salad with frisée, pears, blue cheese, and crispy prosciutto in zesty vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Greens & Fruits

01 - 1 large head frisée lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced

→ Dairy & Cheese

03 - 3.5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

→ Meats

04 - 4 slices prosciutto

→ Nuts

05 - 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 teaspoon honey
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then break into bite-size pieces.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to create a balanced dressing.
03 - Place frisée in a large salad bowl. Add sliced pears, blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and crispy prosciutto pieces.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine all components evenly.
05 - Transfer to serving plates immediately, garnishing with additional blue cheese or walnuts if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can serve something elegant without spending your whole evening cooking.
  • The bitter-sweet-salty-tangy balance makes your taste buds actually wake up and pay attention.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but casual enough to make for yourself on a random night.
02 -
  • Slice your pears right before serving or they'll oxidize and turn brown, which tastes fine but looks like you forgot about them halfway through cooking.
  • The frisée will absorb the dressing and wilt over time, so this is a now salad, not a make-ahead salad.
03 -
  • Make your vinaigrette in a jar and shake it hard for 30 seconds instead of whisking, it emulsifies differently and sometimes tastes even better the next day.
  • If your pears are slightly underripe, a quick 30-second sear in a hot pan with a tiny bit of butter actually brings out the sweetness and softens them just enough.
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