INGREDIENTS
1 pear, cored and quartered
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
16 oyster mushrooms, stems removed
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp pepper
1⁄4 cup sherry vinegar
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp whole hazelnuts
12 thin slices prosciutto
Watercress leaves
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat barbecue or grill on high heat. Cut each pear quarter into three equal pieces. Toss wedges in 1/8 cup olive oil. Grill pear wedges for 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and chill immediately to prevent overcooking.

Preheat 1/8 cup olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Once oil is rippling add garlic and cook for 5 to 10 seconds, just until garlic releases its aroma. Immediately add oyster mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Add sherry and balsamic vinegars and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until all liquid has reduced. Remove from heat; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375¾F. Roast whole hazelnuts for 5 minutes, until browned.
To serve, loosely roll each prosciutto slice into a cigar shape. Place a quarter of the warm mushroom mix on each plate and use three prosciutto rolls to form a pyramid. Add three chilled pear wedges and 1/4 of the toasted hazelnuts. Repeat for remaining plates. Drizzle salads with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil and place bits of watercress on top of each. Makes 4 servings.

Tested by Jason Dirk Heukelom, chef at Earls on Top in Vancouver and a 10-year Earls veteran.
Tip “When grilling the pear wedges, rotate them 90 degrees every 30 seconds to create nice criss-cross grill marks.”
Pairing 2007 Cedar Creek Dry Riesling