CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Bibb Lettuce Salad

Fresh pear and Gorgonzola cheese spruce up this recipe.

Bibb Lettuce Salad

3 large ripe Bartlett pears (divided)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fresh tarragon or scant ¼ teaspoon dried

1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (divided)

1½ tablespoons lemon juice (divided)

2 to 3 heads bibb lettuce, rinsed and dried

1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese

Peel, core and chop 1 pear. Place pear, water, sugar and tarragon in saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until pear pieces are soft. Do not let all water evaporate. Cool. Pour pear and liquid into blender. Blend until smooth. Add vinegar and lemon juice to taste. Taste and adjust sugar and acid to make sweet-tart dressing, adding water if needed to thin. Refrigerate until cold. Core and thinly slice remaining 2 pears. For each serving, arrange 3 to 4 lettuce leaves on a salad plate. Top with some sliced pear and 2 to 3 tablespoons cheese. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing.

Yield: Serves 6.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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