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Vanilla-roasted pear salad with prosciutto and bitter greens

Name: Vanilla-roasted pear salad with prosciutto and bitter greens recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 30.00 ml apple cider vinegar; 30.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 100g mixed bitter leaves (we used radicchio and rocket); 12 slices prosciutto, torn; 50g walnut; 12 mini pears, left whole, skin and stalk on (see recipe notes); 50.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 200ml verjuice; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1/4 bunch thyme sprigs; Pure icing sugar, to dust

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20m

45m

Mike McEnearny Vanilla-roasted pear salad with prosciutto and bitter greens — Brett Stevens

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by Mike McEnearney

Chef and delicious. columnist

Apr 23, 2026

“Pears like this are a great friend to rich meats – pork, lamb, goose – and here they finds their place alongside jamón. It’s that balance of sweet, savoury and a bit of salty fat that makes it work.

“For the salad, I like to lean into bitter leaves — dandelion, escarole, frisée, witlof – anything with a bit of edge. If you want to keep it simple, rocket with some torn radicchio for colour does the job nicely. The dressing should come from the pan – those pear juices are gold – with a splash of something sharp if it needs lifting. Stick to a clean white vinegar, like apple cider or chardonnay; nothing too sweet, and definitely no lemon – it throws the balance.

“Finish it with a crumble of toasted walnuts. It brings a bit of earth and texture, and ties everything back to the plate.” – Mike McEnearney

1 1/2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
100g mixed bitter leaves (we used radicchio and rocket)
12 slices prosciutto, torn
1/2 cup (50g) walnuts, toasted, chopped

Vanilla-roasted pears

12 mini pears, left whole, skin and stalk on (see recipe notes)
2 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
200ml verjuice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 fresh bay leaves
1/4 bunch thyme sprigs
Pure icing sugar, to dust

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced.
2.

Place pears in a baking tray, standing up with stems facing upwards (see recipe notes). Brush pears with oil. Pour in the verjuice. Add vanilla paste or a scraped vanilla bean to the tray with bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and dust with icing sugar. Roast for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside to cool until warm or room temperature.
3.

To make the dressing, set pears aside and strain pear cooking juices into a small bowl. Measure ½ cup (125ml) cooking juice and combine with vinegar and 1½ tbs oil in a small jug. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
4.

To assemble salad, halve some pears and leave others whole. Place leaves, pears and prosciutto on a serving platter. Sprinkle over walnuts and serve drizzled with dressing.