Grilled Pear and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

Grilled Pear and Crispy Prosciutto Salad. Grilled pears are mixed with toasted pecans, goat cheese and arugula, all topped off with crispy prosciutto and a balsamic dressing.

Have you tried grilling fruit? You can pretty much grill any firm fruit from pineapple to lemons. I grilled lemons for a delicious salad dressing, you can find that recipe by clicking here > Grilled Lemon & Basil Vinaigrette.

After eating this salad, I wondered why I had never grilled pears before now. The sweet pears, crispy prosciutto, tangy goat cheese and toasted pecans, make for the perfect salad bite.

Pears are usually sold under-ripe, which is great for this recipe. If you try and grill ripe pears they will flop and fall apart. Anjous pears that are still firm are the perfect type for grilling, but not all supermarkets carry all varieties so any firm pear that you can find is perfect.

When I was making the dressing for this salad, it occurred to me that it would be perfect to brush onto the pears before grilling, and let me tell  you, when that balsamic vinegar caramelizes with the pears, it’s perfection.

If you’ve tried this Grilled Pear and Crispy Prosciutto Salad  or any other recipe on the blog, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know it turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!

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Yield: 6

Grilled Pear and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

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Sweet, grilled pears are mixed with toasted pecans, goat cheese and arugula, all topped off with crispy prosciutto and a lime, balsamic, ginger dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light agave nectar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
• Small pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup (201 grams) pecan halves
• 4 slices Prosciutto di Parma
• 4 firm pears of your choice, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 4 ounces (113 grams) goat cheese
• Salad greens of your choice, I used baby spinach and arugula

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl combine the lime, balsamic vinegar, agave or honey, ginger, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
3. To a small sauté pan, add the pecans over medium-low heat. Toast the pecans until browned and fragrant, about 3 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them.
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the prosciutto slices evenly spaced. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until crispy, remove and allow to cool on baking sheet.
5. Preheat a grill (or indoor grill pan) over medium high heat.
6. Brush both sides of the pear slices with the salad dressing. Grill the pears for 2 minutes on each side, remove and set aside and allow to cool.
7. To a large mixing bowl add the salad greens and toss with the salad dressing, reserving some to add later.
8. Divide the greens amongst 4 dishes. Divide the pecans between the 4 dishes. Arrange the cooled pear slices on the salad and top with the goat cheese.
9. Crumble the prosciutto in your hands and sprinkle over the salads. Top with more dressing if needed.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 404Saturated Fat 6gCholesterol 12mgSodium 107mgCarbohydrates 26gProtein 6g