Sauted Pears, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Salad

Halve the pears, remove the cores and cut each piece into 3 wedges. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the pears over a high heat until golden on both sides.

Drain on kitchen towels and cool.

To serve: Arrange the witlof, pears and prosciutto on a platter. Scatter over the walnuts and Gorgonzola. Just before serving, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and freshly ground pepper.

Witlof, or Belgian endive: a small cigar-shaped head of tightly packed leaves, creamy yellow in colour. It is grown in the dark; the leaves become green and bitter when exposed to light. To store, wrap the heads in paper towel and refrigerate in a plastic bag. Use as soon after buying as possible. The small crisp leaves are perfect in salads and the whole heads can be braised or roasted.