Pear Raisin and Gorgonzola Salad

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Pear, Raisin and Gorgonzola Salad

This salad is perfect for fall or winter. 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.

Serves: 6

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	Ingredients Dressing 1/2 cup orange juice, preferably fresh-squeezed 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 1/3 cup sherry vinegar or cider vinegar 1/3 cup walnut oil Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Salad 1/2 cup pecan halves 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 cup California raisins Kosher of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Dressing
Place the orange juice and the sugar in a 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 saute pan over medium heat, tossing the pan until nuts are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful, as pecans scorch quickly. Remove from heat. Add the 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.

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of The California Raisin Marketing Board.