Oh Really? Salad?

Aside from the Orange-scented Brownies with Cranberries, Pistachios and Ginger and the Chocolate Macaroon Mountains, believe it or not, the best thing I've eaten in the past two weeks was a salad.
Yes, a salad.

You may think I'm all about chocolate. This blog would certainly give you that impression.
But a girl needs some healthy and lighter foods occasionally.

Salad sounds like summer food doesn't it?
My friend Betsy made this salad for our book group meeting last week (in case you're interested, we discussed The Book Thief) and it's the perfect winter salad, featuring roasted pears and fennel. I've already made it twice since then, and plan on doing it again this weekend, to go with our Hanukkah dinner.
If you have to bring a salad to a potluck in the next couple of weeks, this is the one. Easy and impressive.

Greens with Roasted Fennel, Pears and Parmesan

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 ripe (but not mushy) pears , quartered, cored and thinly sliced
(I used Bosc)

2 large heads endive, trimmed and sliced crosswise

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

4 cups mixed salad greens, or 4 cups arugula

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brush a baking sheet with one Tbsp. oil. Add the fennel, toss to coat and spread in an even layer.
Brush a second baking sheet with the remaining oil, add pears and toss to coat evenly. Spread in a single layer. Bake the fennel and pears until tender, about 30 minutes.

Place endive and greens in a large salad bowl. Top with pears and fennel, then shaved Parmesan and pine nuts.

Toss with vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. herbes de Provence

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Add herbs and salt and pepper, then whisk again thoroughly.

What's the best thing you ate all week?