Butter Lettuce Salad with Crispy Prosciutto, Oyster Mushroom Chips, Cabrales and Pears - oyster mushrooms

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the oyster mushrooms from the stem and pull them into bite-size pieces (the smaller ones can be left whole).
• Add them to a bowl along with some olive oil.
• Season with salt and crushed red pepper, to taste, and toss to coat.
• Spread the seasoned mushrooms out on 2 baking sheets in a single layer.
• Roast the mushrooms in the preheated oven until the mushrooms are sort of "cooked on" to the bottom of the baking sheet, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Scrape the mushroom chips off the bottom of the baking sheet with a bench scraper and reserve in a small bowl.
• MMMMM...mushroom chips!
• Cut the prosciutto crosswise into 1/2-inch strips.
• Try to keep them separated.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put over low heat.
• Lay the prosciutto strips in the pan, and when they start to shrivel and shrink add more strips to the pan.
• When the strips get crispy and crinkly give them a douse of red wine vinegar.
• Stir quickly and turn off the heat.
• Remove the strips to paper towels until ready to use.
• These are best when they are cooked the day of use.
• Separate the leaves of the lettuce, removing any thick ribs.
• Wash and spin dry, if needed; usually this lettuce is pretty clean and healthy looking.
• Add the lettuce to a large bowl and toss in the mushrooms chips, sliced pears and blue cheese.
• Dress with red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt, to taste.
• Check the seasoning to make sure the salad is dressed appropriately.
• Arrange the salad on serving plates and sprinkle with the prosciutto strips.
• Let everyone tell you that you are a super star!!