Warm Salad of Winter Fruits, Endives and Pancetta

• Recipe by Grant Achatz

You can embellish this hearty salad with other winter fruits, such as grapefruit (which we used) and persimmon.

Ingredients

1. 1 pomegranate, halved crosswise
2. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3. 3 tablespoons canola oil
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 3 cups water
6. 1 cup sugar
7. 2 quinces--peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
8. 4 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
9. 3 large endives, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
10. 2 firm ripe Bartlett pears--peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges
11. 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

Directions

1. Using a large citrus reamer, squeeze 1/2 cup of juice from the pomegranate halves. Transfer to a small saucepan and boil until it is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pomegranate syrup to a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar and then the oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the quinces and set a small lid or heatproof saucer directly on top to keep the wedges submerged. Cook over moderate heat until just tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the quinces to a plate to cool. Cut the quinces into thin wedges.
3. In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over moderate heat until crisp. Drain the pancetta; reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet. Return the skillet to high heat, add the endives and cook, tossing, until just warmed through. Add the quinces, pears and pancetta, season with salt and pepper and toss gently. Transfer the salad to a platter. Drizzle with some of the dressing, sprinkle with the tarragon and serve. Pass the remaining dressing separately.