Roasted Pears With Blue Cheese 
Serves  4

• Olive oil (for sprinkling)
• 4 ripe Bosc pears, halved and cored
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head red leaf lettuce, leaves torn
• 1 head radicchio, leaves torn
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ounces blue cheese, sliced into 4 pieces or crumbled
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Thin slices French bread, toasted 

Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have a 9-by-13-inch baking dish on hand. Rub the bottom with oil.

Place the pears, cut side down, in the dish. Pour in the water at the edges. Sprinkle the pears with sugar and dot with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Roast the pears for 30 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove the pears from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the onion is very soft.

In a large bowl, lightly toss the lettuce and radicchio.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil until the dressing emulsifies.

Toss the lettuce and radicchio with enough of the dressing to moisten it.

Divide the lettuces among 4 salad plates. Place 2 pear halves on each plate, add onions and parsley, and top with a slice of blue cheese or crumbled blue cheese. Serve at once with toasted French bread.

 (Source: The Boston Globe, March 20,2005)