Pear Salad with Hazelnuts and Sage

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup crème fraîche (see Note)
• 0.5 cup cranberries dried
• 2 tablespoons sage leaves fresh cut into thin strips
• 0.5 cup hazelnuts 
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 4  asian pears cut into wedges
• 3 cups gourmet salad greens mixed loosely packed
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar white

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• kitchen towels
• colander

Directions

1. Place hazelnuts on an ungreased baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until skins split.
3. Place hazelnuts in a colander. Rub hazelnuts briskly with a kitchen towel to remove skins; discard skins. Coarsely chop hazelnuts.
4. Whisk together crme frache and next 3 ingredients. Arrange salad greens and pear wedges on salad plates.
5. Drizzle evenly with dressing; sprinkle with hazelnuts, cranberries, and sage.
6. Note: To make your own crme frache, stir together 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Cover and let stand at room temperature 8 hours. Then store in refrigerator up to 10 days.