• 1 shallot
• 1 whole star anise
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons white wine
• Salad
• 3 firm-ripe Bosc pears
• 8 Belgian endives
• ½ cup walnut halves or pieces
• 7 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Chop shallot and crush star anise. In a blender blend shallot, oil, orange juice, and vinegar and wine until emulsified. Transfer mixture to a small bowl or jar and add star anise and salt and pepper to taste. Chill dressing, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Pour dressing through a sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Whisk dressing until combined well.
2. Make salad:
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Halve and core pears. Cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange in one layer on baking sheet. Roast pears in middle of oven about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the walnuts over the pears and roast another 5 minutes, until pears are pale golden, and cool on baking sheet.
5. Presentation:
6. Rinse endives, cut in half lengthwise and then in half lengthwise again (quarters).
7. On a salad plate arrange 4 endive spears, top with pears and walnuts and sprinkle gorgonzola over the

My friends and I made this recipe at the most recent "supper club" get together we had. It was inspired but a recipe I saw on Epicurious but I adapeted and altered it to suit our tastes. It makes a refreshing summer salad served cold or a lovely autumn dish if you serve the pears and walnuts warm out of the oven. Enjoy!