Frisée, Pear, Blue Cheese, Crispy Prosciutto (Printable)

Bitter greens, sweet pears, and salty prosciutto create perfect harmony.

# Components:

→ Salad Components

01 - 1 large head frisée lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
04 - 6 slices prosciutto
05 - 1 oz toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

→ Vinaigrette

06 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange prosciutto slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes until crisp. Cool completely, then break into large shards.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Combine frisée, sliced pears, blue cheese crumbles, and toasted nuts in large salad bowl.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Top with crispy prosciutto shards immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of warm crispy prosciutto against cool fresh pears creates this incredible temperature and texture thing
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but looks like something from a restaurant
  • The bitterness of frisée cuts through the rich elements so nothing feels too heavy
02 -
  • The prosciutto keeps crisping for a minute after it leaves the oven, so pull it when it looks almost done
  • Tear the frisée by hand rather than cutting it, the jagged edges catch the dressing better
  • This salad waits for no one, dress it right before serving or the frisée will collapse under its own weight
03 -
  • Warm the prosciutto slightly before crumbling if it has cooled completely, it will shatter more dramatically
  • Taste a pear before slicing, if it is not sweet enough add another pinch of honey to the dressing
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