Green Salad with Roasted Pears, Red Onions, Toasted Walnuts and Piave Cheese

Serves 4

1 pear, quartered and cored
1 red onion, peeled and quartered, with root end intact to hold layers together
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 bunch local greens, about 4-6 cups
2 ounces Piave cheese, or your favorite tangy aged cheese, sliced with a vegetable peeler

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place the pear and onion quarters in a small bowl, and add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet pan and roast until tender, about 15-20 minutes. When cool, slice each quarter into 3 slices, place back in small bowl and season with thyme leaves.

At the same time, spread walnuts on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toasted until just beginning to brown - do both in the oven at the same time.

Combine the shallot, mustard and sherry vinegar and olive oil together in a small plastic container. Shake to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the greens in a salad bowl.  Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss well.  Take 1 tablespoon of the dressing and toss with the pears and onions. Add the remaining dressing (or as much as you wish) to the salad bowl containing the greens and toss again.  Arrange the greens on 4 plates, top each with 3 slices of roasted pear and 3 slices of onion, walnuts then top each with the slices of Piave. Serve.