Savour the flavours of this main course salad. Serves 4 4 firm pears, peeled 600ml (1 pt) red wine 25g (1oz) caster sugar 1 bunch watercress Handful of baby spinach 1 head chicory, broken into separate leaves 450g (1lb) rump steak 4 tbsp olive oil 175g (6oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Freshly ground black pepper
· Put the whole pears into a saucepan with the wine and sugar. Heat and simmer gently without a lid, turning the pears from time to time, until they are tender. Carefully lift the pears from the reduced liquid and leave them to cool · Share the watercress, spinach and chicory between four serving plates or bowls · Preheat a char-grill pan or heavy-based frying pan. Brush the rump steak with one tablespoon olive oil, then char-grill or fry it over a high heat for two or three minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest for five minutes · Cut the pears into quarters, removing the core. Arrange one pear on each salad. Slice the beef with a sharp knife, then share between the portions. Add the shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the salads along with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Serve, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper Cook’s tip: If possible, use a cheese slicer to produce the shavings. Recipe from the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium, photography by Steve Lee