Plank-Roasted Pear Salad With Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Submitted by Chicagoland Chef du Jour

"I recently had a salad comparable to this in a restaurant. It was delightful! Inspired by a recipe Costco published, June, 2010, but I am suggesting a different dressing. Adjust the amount of blue cheese and walnuts to your liking. Enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 27mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 cedar planks, alder, oak, Choose your favorite, soaked in water for one hour
• 4 large Anjou pears or 4 large bartlett pears, ripe, do not peel
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1⁄2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 cups mixed greens, I like to use an arugula mix
• 1⁄3 cup walnuts, roughly chop, roasted in a dry skillet if you like
• 1⁄4 cup champagne vinaigrette dressing, I like Girard's lite

directions

1. Soak the planks for 60 minutes in water.
2. Preheat your grill.
3. Optional" Roast the walnuts. Walnuts can be roasted in a dry skillet before chopping. Simply put them in a skillet over medium heat and roast until you start to smell them. They are done at that point. Be careful not to burn them.
4. Cut the pears in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intake. Take a melon baller and remove the seed/ core section.
5. In a bowl, mix the butter and honey. Brush the honey mixture over the cut surface of the pear. Sprinkle the pears with blue cheese, add some extra to the cored out center YUM!
6. Place the planks on the grill grate and close the lid. When the planks start to smoke and pop, about 3-5 minutes, open the grill and *use tongs*, turn the planks over.
7. Place the pears on the planks, cut side & blue cheese side UP.
8. Close the grill and roast for 12-15 minutes or until the pears are scorched around the edges and the cheese is melted.
9. Serve on top salad greens, sprinkle with walnuts
10. Dress with vinaigrette.
11. ALTERNATELY: Plank-Roasting in the oven.
12. Preheat oven to 450°F.
13. Place the prepared pears on the planks and place the planks in the middle of the oven.
14. Plank roast for 12-15 minutes or until pears are scorched around the edges.