Italian Roasted Pear & Prosciutto Salad with Gorgonzola Georgia Pecan Dressing

  • Yields (4) 1-cup Servings

Ingredients

  • Pears
    • 2 ripe pears(medium sized), halved and cored, peeled if desired
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Gorgonzola Pecan Dressing
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/4 teaspoon or more liquid hot pepper sauce
    • 2/3 cup light olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
    • 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
    • 1 cup chopped and *toasted Georgia pecans, divided
  • Salad
    • 8 thin slices Prosciutto (approx. 4-oz.)

Directions

Pears

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pear halves on a lightly oiled baking sheet sprinkle with lemon juice and rub with oil. Roast until pears are fork-tender but still firm, about 20 minutes.

Cool, then cut into 3 – 4 slices. Set aside.

Gorgonzola Pecan Dressing

Place vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce in a medium bowl and whisk in olive oil until thickened. Fold in basil, oregano, Gorgonzola and 1/2 cup of the Georgia pecans. Set aside.

Salad

To assemble, toss greens with some of the dressing and divide among four salad plates. Coil 2 slices of Prosciutto to look like two flowers and place in the center of the greens. Arrange pear slices around the edge of the salad, drizzle with more dressing and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Georgia pecans over the top of salads.

*Toast Georgia pecans in a 250- to 350 degrees F oven for 10 – 15 minutes, less time for higher oven temperature. Pecans should deepen in color of pecans and have a fragrant aroma. Remove the pan from the oven and let pecans cool before handling.