WATERCRESS, ENDIVE SALAD WITH ROASTED
PEARS AND ROQUEFORT
Serves:
8
For dressing: 1/2 cup
extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For
salad: 4 large bartlett pears 1/4 cup Port wine 2 tablespoons olive
oil 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 2 bunches watercress 6 Belgian
endives 8 ounces Roquefort cheese
Dressing: Whisk
together olive oil, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (200 degrees C). Peel pears, cut into
quarters and core. Cut into 10 to 12 thick slices each. Place in a bowl and
toss with the Port and olive oil. Arrange on a heavy baking sheet and roast for
about 20 minutes or until slices are tender. Let cool. (Pears can be roasted up
to a day ahead. Cover and Refrigerate). Place walnuts on baking sheet.
Toast in oven for 5 minutes. Remove stems from watercress. Wash and spin.
Remove core from endives and cut into thick slices. To serve,
arrange watercress around edge of a large serving platter with endives in
center. Drizzle with dressing. Top with pear slices and sprinkle with
Roquefort and walnuts. Serve immediately.