Endive Spears with Pears and Prosciutto

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 firm-ripe red or green pear, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 slices prosciutto or ham (about 1 1/2 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

2 large heads endive (about 8 ounces), one white and one red

16 to 20 leaves fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

In medium bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, and cloves. Add pears, prosciutto, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Trim 1/2-inch from the stem end of the endive and remove the outer leaves. When no more leaves can be removed, trim another 1/2-inch from the stem and continue to remove leaves. Keep going until all the leaves are removed (you should have 16 to 20). Arrange endive leaves on plates or platter. Fill base of each leaf with a generous tablespoon of pear mixture. Top each with a parsley leaf and serve.

Adapted from “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love” by Jill Silverman Hough (Wiley, 2010). Jill is a cookbook author whose work has appeared in Cooking Light, Bon Appétit and Fine Cooking magazines.