Recipe

Pear, Raisin and Gorgonzola Salad

by: Chef Roy Harland

The perfect salad for fall and winter.

Details

Serves:

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

1/2 c. orange juice, preferably fresh-squeezed
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/3 c. sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
1/3 c. walnut oil
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

1/4 c. pecan halves
Butter, as needed
2 tsp. granulated sugar

3 ripe Bosc pears
Juice of one lemon
1 head butter lettuce, washed and dried
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 c. California raisins
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

PROCEDURE

Dressing

Place the orange juice and the sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar. Continue to simmer until the juice has reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar and the reduced orange juice. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Salad

Toast the nuts in a sautépan over medium heat, tossing the pan until nuts are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful; pecans scorch quickly. Remove from heat. Add some butter to the pan and toss to coat. Add the sugar and toss again. Turn the nuts into a strainer and shake off excess sugar. Set aside.

Just before assembling salads, cut pears in half lengthwise and remove the cores. Cut into thin slices and brush them lightly with the lemon juice to prevent discoloring. Divide the lettuce and spinach leaves among 6 salad plates. Top each salad with a pear half. Sprinkle pecans, cheese and raisins on top. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Chef\'s Note: If you\'d like to use a little less cheese, you can freeze a small chunk and use a fine grater to apply a snow-like flurry of cheese over the greens.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories 350(59% from fat); Total Fat 24g (sat 5g, mono 7g, poly 9g); Cholesterol 20mg; Protein 6g; Carbohydrates 32g; Fiber 3g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 190mg; Calcium 142mg