Frisée Pear Blue Cheese Prosciutto (Printable)

Bitter frisée meets sweet pears, creamy blue cheese, and crispy prosciutto in a tangy vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 1 large head frisée lettuce, washed and torn
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 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 teaspoon honey
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange prosciutto slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp. Remove from oven and let cool, then break into large shards.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine frisée, sliced pears, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Top the salad with crispy prosciutto shards immediately before serving to maintain crispness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The bitter frisée won't wilt into mush like regular lettuce, so you can actually eat this slowly and savor it.
  • Crispy prosciutto adds a salty, meaty punch that makes you forget you're eating leaves.
  • It feels restaurant-quality but takes barely 25 minutes, which means weeknight dinner just got fancier.
  • The blue cheese melts slightly from the warmth of the baked prosciutto, creating pockets of creamy richness.
02 -
  • Never dress this salad more than five minutes before eating, because the vinaigrette will turn your frisée into wilted sadness, and that's the opposite of the point.
  • If your blue cheese tastes too sharp or funky, you've got the wrong one—a good blue cheese should taste tangy and slightly sweet, not like you're eating a gym sock.
03 -
  • Slice your pears as close to serving time as possible, and if you're worried about browning, toss them gently in a little lemon juice—it doesn't change the flavor but stops the oxidation.
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for five minutes, shaking constantly, and you'll taste the difference immediately.
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