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1
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
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2
Grease a small baking sheet with the butter.
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3
Peel and core the pears and cut each into 8 wedges.
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4
Toss the pears and sugar together in a bowl and place on the buttered baking sheet, cut-sides down.
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5
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft and browned on the undersides.
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6
Transfer pears to a piece of waxed paper and let cool completely.
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7
The pears can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
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8
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a blender, whirl the 1/2 cup cranberries, vinegar, molasses, and mustard until smooth and uniformly pink.
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9
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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10
With the machine running, add the 1/3 cup oil in a slow, steady stream, and blend until smooth.
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11
Season again with salt and pepper, if necessary.
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12
Set aside.
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13
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
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14
Transfer to a small bowl to cool, then stir in the second 1/2 cup cranberries.
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15
Make the blue cheese toasts: Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Cut each slice of bread in half, so you have 16 halves.
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16
Brush both sides of each piece with some of the oil, and toast on a baking sheet for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
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17
Remove from the oven, and divide the blue cheese between the toasts, crumbling the cheese up a little as you go.
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18
(The toasts can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated, up to 4 hours.)
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19
Return the toasts to the oven and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until the blue cheese has melted.
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20
Place the spinach in a large bowl, add half the almond/cranberry mixture, add the vinaigrette to taste, and mix well.
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21
Arrange the dressed greens on a platter or on individual salad plates, and garnish with additional nuts and berries, roasted pears, and blue cheese toasts.
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22
Serve immediately.
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23
Variations:
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24
Peel and core a tart apple instead of the pear.
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25
Substitute goat cheese or a hard grating cheese, like Parmesan, for the blue cheese.
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26
Substitute dried cherries for the cranberries.
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27
Substitute coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or your favorite nuts for the almonds.
