Ingredients

(Insalata di pere e Gorgonzola)

For the dressing:
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup whipping cream

Place all ingredients except cream in blender and blend until smooth. Remove to a bowl and stir in cream by hand. (This dressing makes more than is needed for this salad, but it is also delicious on any green salads.)

For the salad:
1 small head butter lettuce, washed
2 ripe red Bartlett or Anjou pears, green or red
2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts
4 ounces Gorgonzola dolce

Make a bed of butter lettuce on each of 4 individual salad plates. Slice the pears in half, core and slice each half into 6 not quite complete slices (leaving the slices still attached at the stem), and fan the pears out on the lettuce. Drizzle each plate with about 2 tablespoons of dressing and a slice, or ball, of Gorgonzola next to the pear. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Directions

Variation: A less beautiful variation on this salad, but perhaps even better is to substitute Belgian endive for the lettuce, cut the pears in slices rather than fans (or substitute sliced Asian pears) and toss all the ingredients together with crumbled Gorgonzola.