Maple Roasted Pear Pizza with Pistachio Olive Oil, Caramelized Shallots, Crispy Prosciutto, + Crumbled Goat Cheese

Sweet + Salty is mah jam. I'm the weirdo that likes dipping french fries in a chocolate milkshake... adding salt to my lattes, pouring maple syrup on my bacon, and so on + so on. Last year, we went to our favorite pizza place, Hearth, and my dreams were made. Their pizza special that night was a pear pizza. What? PEAR ON A PIZZA.... that's genius! I knew then and there that I would have to recreate this masterpiece. I ending up changing most of the toppings to include my favorite ingredients, and you know what, I thought ours was even better. First, I started off by making a chunky pistachio olive oil by using a molcajete + pestle to pulverize the nuts into the oil. This serves as the base for your pizza. Next up is one of my go-to recipes as of lately... crispy prosciutto. If you don't have prosciutto on you though, you can always sub in some bacon... because... um, bacon is good on everything. It's also a personal belief that every single pizza should have caramelized onions, so I added lots of those too. Then there is the usual of fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese, and for good measure, some tangy crumbled goat cheese (yum). The single most important ingredient has to be the bosc pear, which I shaved using a mandolin. Gently arrange the shaved pear on top of the pizza and brush a light coating of maple syrup over the fruit. The maple syrup not only sweetens the whole pie just a little bit, but helps the pears to beautifully caramelize in the oven. Lastly, you have to season the pizza with fresh thyme (an absolute must), crushed red pepper flake (for a slight kick), and a small sprinkle of kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper. After you have baked the pizza, all that there is left to do is to cut it into slices and devour it while it's still warm. We also loved putting some peppery baby arugula on top for garnish, but that step is completely up to you! I hope you love this ultimate autumn pizza as much as we do!! Enjoy :)

pre-baked pizza

this is what heaven looks like.

For the Pistachio Olive Oil:

1C Shelled Pistachios (can be unsalted or salted)

EVOO (enough to cover the pistachios)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Shaved Prosciutto

4 Sprigs of Rosemary or 8 Leaves of Sage

EVOO, For Drizzling

Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

For the Maple Roasted Pear Pizza:

1 Batch of Homemade Extra Crispy Pizza Dough (made into two dough balls)

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Prepared Pistachio Olive Oil

Caramelized Shallots

8oz Fresh Mozzarella, Shredded by Hand

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto

1 Bosc Pear, Thinly Shaved Using a Mandolin

High Quality Maple Syrup, For Brushing

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste

Minced Fresh Thyme, To Taste

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

2oz Crumbled Goat Cheese

Fresh Baby Arugula, For Garnishing (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Extra-Crusting Pizza Dough: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 1.5 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, preferably 18 hours (but anywhere between 12-18 hours would work as well). Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 2 equal portions (depending on thin or thick you want your pizza dough). Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions. Let the dough balls rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.

2. Prepping the Dough: During the last hour of the dough’s resting, preheat the oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Working with the dough, dust it generously with flour and place onto a floured work surface. Gently shape the dough balls into a two 10-inch disks. Press or spread the dough dish on top of a baking sheet or pizza stone. Now it’s time to add on the toppings.

3. For the Pistachio Olive Oil: In the bowl of a Molcajete, add in all of the shelled pistachios, and the pour in enough olive oil to just cover the pistachios. Using the pestle, crush the pistachios until they are rough and chunky in texture, and not smashed into a powder. Stir the crushed pistachios with the olive oil to make a cohesive mixture. Set this aside.

4. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary or sage on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the pizza.

5. Assembling the Pizza: Get your two prepped pizza dough disks on baking sheets and press two cloves of minced garlic into each dough round. Place the pizzas into the preheated oven and bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and begin assembling the toppings. Start by spooning and spreading the pistachio olive oil, followed by scattering the caramelized shallots evenly over the pizza dough. Next add on the shredded mozzarella, freshly great Parmesan, crispy prosciutto, and shaved pears. Brush the tops of sliced pears with some maple syrup, and then sprinkle the surface of the pizza with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Lastly, crumble the goat cheese on top to finish off the pizza. Boost the oven up to broil and place them back into the oven for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted, the pears have begun to crisp around the edges, and the crust has a toasty golden brown color (make sure to rotate the pizza pans, so they evenly cook).

6. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut into slices. Garnish the pizza with fresh baby arugula on top, if you please! Enjoy!

Farmer's Market Finds: The Best Damn Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich with Crispy Prosciutto, Peppery Arugula, Soft Herbs, + Sriracha Powder on Buttered White Bread

As long as I can remember, I have never liked deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. However, that was all changed when we went to our favorite restaurant, JCT Kitchen, and we ordered some of their famous deviled eggs with country ham. I've made and posted their recipe here (with my own little twist) and they were fab. So I thought, why not turn them into a deviled egg sandwich? Now to make this sandwich even better, I used my favorite items that I found at our local farmer's market. This baby arugula is to die for... if you're in the local Atlanta area, stop by the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market and buy some of this arugula from Abundant Harvest Gardens. We normally have to buy two bags every Saturday, one to cook with and one to snack on during the ride home. I don't think I can adequately describe the flavor of these greens. It is nothing like the arugula you buy at the grocery store that is sorta peppery... this shit is straight up wasabi. I literally can't rave about it enough. I'm also in love with this bread. It's from another vendor at the farmer's market, TGM Bread. But anyway, back to this sandwich... you start by boiling a dozen of eggs until they are just cooked through. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the yellow egg yolks, homemade mayo or aioli, softened goat cheese, minced cornichons + shallots, dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and a whole mess of fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, basil, and parsley to be exact). Then all you have to do is fold in the diced up egg whites and season with salt + pepper. The one component left, that really takes this recipe over the top, is the crispy prosciutto. I've had all different kinds of egg salad sandwiches, most of them had bacon them, and it just didn't taste quite right. I love the flavor of the country ham/prosciutto on JCT's deviled eggs, so I thought that would be perfect on a sandwich. But, one thing that had to be changed was the texture. This was easily solved by baking some prosciutto until the fat rendered and began to crisp up. Essentially, because it is so thinly sliced, the meat practically melts on your tongue, so that you have delicious-porky-goodness with each bite. All that you have to do is assemble the sandwiches. Get your gorgeous loaf of white bread and fry it in some butter until golden brown + toasted. Next, you slather on a thick heap of that herbed egg salad, followed by a sprinkling of homemade sriracha powder. Finally, you just lay on some slices of that crispy prosciutto and a mound of those spicy arugula greens. The only thing left to do is to devour it. And trust me, that is the easiest and yummiest part of the recipe! Enjoy :)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

EVOO, For Brushing

3-4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Cracked Pepper

For the Herbed Egg Salad:

12 Extra Large Eggs

¼C + 1T Homemade Aioli

3 Cornichons, Finely Minced

1 Small Shallot, Minced

2T Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

2t Dijon Mustard

1T White Balsamic Reduction (honey may be substituted if needed)

2T Fresh Chives, Snipped

1T Fresh Tarragon, Minced

2t Fresh Basil, Minced

1t Fresh Parsley, Minced

Kosher + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Deviled Egg Salad Sandwiches:

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto Slices

Prepared Herbed Egg Salad

Fresh Baby Arugula

Homemade Sriracha Powder, For Sprinkling

Buttered, Toasted Slices of White Bread

Directions:

1. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwich. 

2. For the Herbed Egg Salad: In a large pot, cover the eggs with cold water and bring them to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath until chilled, about 5-10 minutes. In the bowl of a standing mixer that is fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the aioli, minced cornichons, goat cheese, Dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and minced shallots. Peel the eggs and slice them in half, and then scoop out the yellow egg yolk. On a cutting board, dice up the egg whites into bite size pieces and set them aside. Add the yolks to the bowl of aioli; beat this mixture until it is light and fluffy. Gently fold in the diced egg whites and herbs into the whipped egg yolk-aioli mixture. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the egg salad in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your sandwich.

3. Assembling the Sandwiches: In a small sauté pan, toast your bread in a little bit of butter until it is golden brown. Remove the bread from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Top one slice of the bread with the herbed egg salad, a sprinkle of Sriracha powder, a few strips of crispy prosciutto, and a pile of fresh baby arugula, followed by the other slice of bread. Enjoy while the arugula is still crisp!

Summer Strawberry Pizza with Sauteed Ramps, Crumbled Gorgonzola, Shaved Speck, Baby Arugula, + a Balsamic Reduction Drizzle on Multigrain Pizza Dough

Every time Summer starts to creep around, I begin to crave a rustic pizza with fruit as the star ingredient. It might sound delicious to some of y'all... and it might sound absolutely-down-right-disgusting to the rest. But bless your heart, you couldn't be more wrong. Just take my word for it. This pizza came about on a Saturday at our local farmer's market. Don't you love when dishes just come together so spontaneously? We saw  lusciously ripe, ruby red strawberries and some perfectly pungent (yet still mild) wild ramps and I thought, well heck, let's marry those two flavors. I am on a real ramp kick lately. I can't find them at grocery stores in our hood, but at the edge of Spring, you can find them by the barrel, freshly pulled out of the ground by your friendly local farmer. They are the loveliest combination of a leek, green onion, shallot, and garlic. And when they are sauteed, they just mellow out a bit and give any extremely rich recipe a itty bitty kick. So, I spread a thin pesto-like sauteed ramp base on the pizza dough before I loaded it up with a bunch of different cheeses. I crumbled the ever-so-sticky gorgonzola cheese on top for an extra pop of flavor. It perfectly paired with the sweet strawberries. UM YUM. The pizza is finished with shaved Speck, which we prefer to Prosciutto, if you get in a pickle, just use that instead... no biggie. Baby arugula is scattered across the top for its' peppery bite, and anyway, it goes amazingly with strawberries and gorgonzola. And no fruity pizza would be complete without a drizzle of syrupy balsamic reduction. It just wouldn't. So take our word for it, this is something that can't be missed during these hot summer months. I guarantee it!! Enjoy :)

For the Strawberry Pizza:

1 Ball of Multigrain Pizza Dough (regular or whole wheat dough can be substituted)

1 Small Bunch of Ramps, Chopped

2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8oz Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella (sliced, torn into small pieces, or shredded)

4-8oz of Ripe Strawberries, Thinly Sliced

¼C Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

¼t Dried Red Pepper Flakes

4oz Shaved Prosciutto (we actually used Speck just because we prefer it over prosciutto)

2T Fresh Basil, Minced

Homemade Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

1-2 Handfuls of Baby Arugula, For Garnishing
Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Let your pizza stone heat up in the oven for at least 30-45 minutes.

2. For the Sautéed Ramps: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in olive oil, red pepper flakes, and chopped ramps. Sauté until they become fragrant and translucent, but still slightly crunchy and sharp. This usually 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set them aside to cool before you spread them on the pizza dough.

3. For the Strawberry Pizza: Create a 12inch round of dough on a semolina dusted pizza peel and spread the sautéed ramps over the top. Place the torn fresh mozzarella evenly across the dough, and then add on the sliced strawberries, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, some red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Slide the pizza onto the heated pizza stone and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted and begun to caramelize. Remove it from the oven and immediately lay small piles of the thin slices of speck (or prosciutto) over the hot pizza. Just before serving, scatter the baby arugula on top, followed by a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

4. Cut into slices and serve immediately!

Italian Sub Sandwiches

Italian Sub Sandwiches

These are the perfect picnic sandwich y'all. I'm tellin' you. Although I am partial to hot, toasty, melty, cheesy panini-style sandwiches, this cold Italian Sub Sandwich just hit the spot for us on our anniversary. I mean, it's not class italian sub, but it has similar flavors, just kicked up a bit. First of all, it has a spicy & sweet component with a spread of fig preserves and spicy pepper relish. Then, it's perfectly salty with the different combination of deli meats. There are two cheeses... smoked provolone and goat cheese, both of which you need, trust me. Some peppery arugula and marinated onions finish it all off, and well, you have an awesome sub. This is my Mountain Man's favorite type of sandwich, so I'm surprised I haven't made it before. But, guess what, I liked it just as much as him. We probably will make it this weekend, yummy!! P.S. does everyone realize that college football starts tomorrow? We did, which means a weekly installment of tailgatin' food will be back. YAY. Enjoy :)

Layers of Prosciutto, Salami, & Chorizo.

Those are fully stacked my friends...

For the Sandwiches:

4 Slices of Bread, Toasted or Fried in Olive Oil

Fig Preserves or Apricot Preserves

Italian Hot Pepper Spread (we love the brand, Wickles Hoagie & Sub Sandwich Relish)

2 Slices of Smoked Provolone

6oz of Assorted Deli Meats (we did a combination of Prosciutto, Salami, & Chorizo)

Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

Baby Arugula

Sweet Onion, Shaved Thinly & Tossed in Olive Oil, Vinegar, & Dried Oregano

Directions:

1. Toast or fry the bread in olive oil until golden brown.   

2. Spread some preserves on one slice of bread and some hot pepper spread on another slice. Start layering the sandwiches with smoked provolone, shaved deli meat, baby arugula, marinated onions, and a good amount of softened goat cheese.   

3. Stack the sandwich together and enjoy immediately.

Fig-Prosciutto Pizza with Crispy Shallots, Baby Arugula, & Balsamic Reduction

We are lovin' these summer pizzas that feature fruit. Who knew that would be so delicious? And pairing it with a salty meat, that's my kinda meal, baby. Well, fig + prosciutto should be served together at all times. We actually featured this combination in the recipe, Grilled Brie with Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, & Prosciutto. And it was to. die. for. So, when I saw this pizza on The Pionner Woman's blog, I knew we had to make it. But I had to add some crispy shallots (typical) and a balsamic reduction. This pizza was scrumptious and we hoovered every slice. It was just so perfectly balanced. I urge y'all to make some of the fruit pizzas because they are just plain good, y'all!! Enjoy :)

Mmm prosciuttooooo

fig + prosciutto pizza  

you gotta have sweet & salty :)

For the Crispy Shallots:

4 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced

2T Olive Oil

For the Balsamic Reduction:

¼C Balsamic Vinegar

1t Honey

 

For the Pizza:

Prepared Pizza Dough

Fig Jam

Fresh Mozzarella, Thinly Sliced

Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced

Crispy Shallots

Baby Arugula

Freshly Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. For the Crispy Shallots: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and sauté, stirring often, until they are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the crispy shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and set them aside until ready to use.
2. For the Balsamic Reduction: Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 3-5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set it aside until ready to drizzle on top of the pizza.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and roll out half of the pizza dough as thinly as possible and place onto a large baking sheet (the other half can be used for another pizza).
4. Making the Pizza: Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle a little bit of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Spread the fig jam all over the surface. Lay the sliced mozzarella across the dough, and then sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top of the mozzarella. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and immediately lay the thin slices of prosciutto over the hot pizza. Scatter the crispy shallots on top of the prosciutto. Just before serving, garnish the pizza with fresh baby arugula, shaved Parmesan, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Cut into squares or slices and serve immediately.

Grilled Brie with Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, Prosciutto, & Olive Oil Fried Bread

I swear that sometimes I am not a part of my family. It's kind of a running joke that the only groceries that my parents buy are cheese, crackers, and wine. So whenever I go home, I never have anything to eat. First off, I'm lactose intolerant, which means I don't like to eat cheese because I don't feel well. And I'm not too much of a wine drinker, I like the hard, dark stuff that guys drink. I know that probably sounds gross to a bunch of y'all, but I like what I like, okay? Good. Well, that pretty much leaves me with crackers, which does not a meal make. But, my Mountain Man, he could eat cheese and crackers all day. And he wanted a fancy cheese plate with a bunch of other stuff that he could nosh on. And this cheese plate has a bunch of stuff I could actually enjoy. I grilled a wheel of brie cheese, doused in homemade truffle honey, and topped with sweet roasted figs. On the side, I served our plate with thinly sliced prosciutto and bread that had been fried in olive oil. I love that buttery-richness that happens to bread when it's fried. You can eat the cheese by itself or do I what I did, and build a masterpiece and stack every ingredient on top of the bread. It was like a open-faced panini. I love the creamy brie, the chewy figs, salty prosciutto, & sweet truffle-honey in combination together. This would be great for a party or just an easy date night at home with your boy!! Enjoy :)

The Perfect Cheese Plate

Grilled Brie, Truffle Honey, Roasted Figs, Prosciutto, & Fried Bread 

Here's my chalkboard serving platter that would be perfect for parties...

Don't forget your glass of wine :)

For the Roasted Figs:

Fresh Black Mission Figs, Sliced in Half

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Salt & Pepper, For Sprinkling (optional)

For the Truffle Honey:

16oz High Quality Honey

5-10 Drops of White Truffle Oil (to your preference)

For the Grilled Brie:

1 Small Wheel of Brie Cheese

Prepared Truffle Honey

Roasted Figs

Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

Slices of Fried Olive Oil Bread

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Figs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and trim the stems off the figs and cut in half. Place them into a dish cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Place into the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and starting to caramelize. Set them aside while you grill the Brie.
2. For the Truffle Honey: Whisk together the honey and white truffle oil to taste and pour into an airtight container, and then let it sit for 24-48 hours for better flavor. If you want to find store-bought truffle honey that is fine as well.
3. For the Grilled Brie: Preheat a grill until very hot. Carefully place the cheese on the grill and sear until marks appear and the inside starts to melt, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Using a spatula, transfer to a serving platter. Place the Roasted Figs on top and drizzle with the Homemade Truffle Honey. Serve with Prosciutto and Fried Olive Oil Bread.

source: grilled brie.

Poached Pear Panini

If any of y'all ever decide to come to visit Savannah, don't ever hesitate to message me about places to go and eat at. One of our favorite nice restaurants to go to is Garibaldi's Cafe. They are known for their crispy flounder with a shallot-apricot sauce, but surprisingly my favorite dish is a small salad. The salad has wine-poached pears, blue cheese fritters, spicy arugula, and a balsamic-wine vinaigrette. I actually crave this salad, it's that good. It's so sweet from the pears, but salty & tangy from the blue cheese. So, since I can't have their salad, I decided to make a Poached Pear Panini. I started off by poaching the pears in a vanilla white wine syrup. I then made a sandwich with the sliced poached pears, arugula pesto mayo, crispy prosciutto, crumbled gorgonzola & creamy havarti, and a light drizzle of honey. I know it sounds super weird, but it really does work. I was surprised how much Clayton liked this panini. I wasn't hungry enough to make a full sandwich, so I just made a small crostini, and that was plenty! Enjoy!

Whole Poached Pear Panini

Spicy Arugula Pesto Mayo, Sweet Poached Pears, Crispy Prosciutto, & Creamy Gorgonzola

Weird, But Delicious Poached Pear Panini

For the Poached Pears:

2 Firm, Ripe Bosc Pears, Peeled & Halved & Cored

2T Lemon Juice

1C Water

½C Dry White Wine

6T Honey

½ Vanilla Bean, Split Lengthwise

For the Arugula-Walnut Pesto:

2C Arugula Leaves, Packed

½C Shelled Walnuts, Toasted

½C Fresh Parmesan Cheese, Grated

½C Olive Oil

6 Garlic Cloves, Lightly Roasted

1t Fresh Garlic, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste  

 

For the Arugula-Pesto Mayo:

¼C Pesto

4T Mayo

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Panini:

2 Slices of French Bread, Fried in Olive Oil

1 Poached Pear, Sliced

Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

Arugula Pesto Mayo

2 Slices of Havarti Cheese

8 Slices of Prosciutto, Fried till Crispy

Drizzle of Honey

Directions:

1. To Make the Poached Pears: Toss the pears with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine water, wine, and honey in a medium saucepan. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add in the bean as well. Stir over medium heat until honey dissolves. Add in the pears. Cover the mixture with a round piece of parchment paper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pears are just tender when pierced, turning halfway through cooking, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the poached pears to a large bowl. Boil the poaching liquid until reduced to ¾C, about 2 minutes. Cool the syrup. Pour the syrup over the pears. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove the vanilla bean and strain the pears out of the liquid. Carefully pat dry and cut into thin slices. Set aside.

2. To Make the Arugula Pesto: Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels in a skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in place, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins. Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown. In a food processor, combine the arugula, salt, walnuts, roasted garlic, and raw garlic. Pulse while drizzling in the olive oil. Remove the mixture from the processor and put into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate.

3. To Make the Arugula-Pesto Mayo: In a small bowl, combine the fresh pesto with the mayo. Add in salt & pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. Set-aside until ready to make the sandwich.

4. To Make the Sandwich: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a pan with tin foil and spray with Pam. Set this aside. Fry the slices of bread in olive oil. Then assemble the sandwich by spreading a layer of the arugula pesto mayo on each slice, and then lay a slice of havarti cheese on top of each slice. On one of the slices lay down the crispy prosciutto, then top with crumbled Gorgonzola and drizzle some honey on top, and the poached pears. Top with the other slice of bread & cheese. Place the sandwich on the prepared pan and bake in the oven in order to heat the fillings and melt the cheese. Cook for roughly 5 minutes (depending on your oven). 

5. Serve the sandwich and enjoy!

source: honey poached pears. arugula pesto.