Roasted Pear and Arugula Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan

This is absolutely stunning as a first course. I have used other nuts and other cheeses and it always turns out lovely.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Roasted Pears

• 4  firm pears (I favor Bartlett)
• 1  tablespoon butter, melted
• 2  tablespoons sugar

• Salad dressing

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2  teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•  freshly ground black pepper

• Salad

• 7  cups arugula, washed dried and torn in bite-size pieces (or other salad greens)
• 4  ounces parmesan cheese
• 1  cup walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 F and put baking sheet in the oven to heat too.
2. Cut each pear lengthwise, remove the core, then set cut side down on a board and slice thinly into 5 pieces lengthwise again.
3. Toss pear with butter and sugar.
4. Place on baking sheet and in oven to roast for 10 min, or until browned on bottom.
5. Flip and roast until tender and deep brown, 5 more minutes.
6. Let pears cool.
7. Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet until browned, 3 minutes and set aside.
8. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together.
9. Combine arugula and pears in large serving bowl, and gentley toss with the dressing.
10. Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of Parmesan cheese on top of salad.
11. Chop walnuts coarsely and sprinkle on top.