Serves 4

This delectable and unusual salad is an excellent accompaniment to any elegant meal.  It’s easy to make, delicate and refreshing.

Curly Endive or Frisée

Watercress

2 large, perfectly ripened pears

Thin slices of sweet purple onion

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds

Fresh coarse ground black pepper

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Line four chilled salad plate with several leaves of curly Endive or Frisée.  Add a bit of coarsely chopped watercress.  Cut the pears in half and remove the core.  Slice each half into quarter inch thick slices lengthwise and fan them out over the greens.  Top this with two or three very thinly sliced sweet purple onion rings.  Sprinkle a quarter of the crumbled blue cheese over each serving and top with a light scattering of slivered almonds.  Add a grinding of fresh black pepper and sprinkle with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.  Serve chilled.