Salad With Candied Walnuts And Poached Pears

By á-174942

Ingredients

• CANDIED WALNUTS:
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar plus
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Oil for deep frying
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
• POACHED PEAR:
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup water
• 1 pear peeled, cored, and cut in half
• BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:
• 3/4 cup olive oil plus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 Roma tomato diced small
• 1/4 cup thinly-sliced basil leaves
• ASSEMBLY:
• 1 bag mixed greens - (6 to 8 oz)
• 1/2 cup Candied Walnuts
• 2 tomatoes cut in wedges
• 6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese crumbled

Preparation

Step 1

For the Candied Walnuts: Place walnuts in saucepan, add water to cover nuts and simmer over medium heat until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Drain nuts and transfer to paper towels to dry. Combine nuts and powdered sugar.

Heat 2 inches oil to 350 degrees in heavy saucepan. Fry walnuts in batches until browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer walnuts with slotted spoon to baking sheet to cool. Salt lightly. Store unused nuts in air-tight container. (Makes 1 cup)

For the Poached Pear: Combine sugar, lemon juice and water and boil over high heat until sugar dissolves, 2 minutes. Add pear halves and cook over low heat, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool, then remove pear with slotted spoon and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette: Warm 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over low heat and saute garlic and shallot until translucent, 4 minutes. Combine garlic and shallot with balsamic vinegar in glass bowl. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste; add sugar to balance flavor. Gently stir in tomato and basil. (Makes 3/4 cup)

For Assembly: Toss greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette. Divide salad among 4 plates and top with slices of Poached Pear, Candied Walnuts, tomato wedges and Gorgonzola cheese.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Each serving: 973 calories; 755 mg sodium; 32 mg cholesterol; 69 grams fat; 82 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 2.12 gram fiber.