HARICOTS VERTS AND PEAR SALAD WITH HAZELNUTS AND PROSCIUTTO

Haricots Verts and Pear Salad with Hazelnuts and Prosciutto image

Yield serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/2 pound haricots verts
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head frisée
2 small Belgian endives
1 ounce (about 1 handful) arugula
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 Bartlett pear, ripe but firm
8 to 12 thin slices prosciutto di Parma

Steps:

Trim the ends of the haricots verts. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the beans until crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to ice water to preserve the color. Drain again and pat dry. Cut in half crosswise. Place in a large mixing bowl.
For the vinaigrette: Put the vinegar, shallot, and mustard in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in the oils. Season with salt and pepper.
Trim the core and any dark green outer leaves and leaf tips from the frisée. Tear the pale yellow center leaves into bite-size pieces. Slice the endives on a slight diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Separate into individual layers and discard the core. Add the frisée, endive, arugula, and hazelnuts to the bowl with the beans.
Cut the pear in half, remove the core and slice thinly lengthwise. Add to the bowl. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to coat the salad lightly; you may not need it all.
If the prosciutto slices are large, tear in half. Make a loose ring of prosciutto on each plate, then mound a handful of salad in the center of the ring. Serve immediately.
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve or another full-bodied white wine.