Pear and Gorgonzola salad with candied walnuts
A fabulous salad which is easy to assemble–But taken over the top with homemade candied walnuts. So fabulous you may want to make an extra batch to wrap as your holiday give-away or to simply munch while you cook.
Ingredients
Salad
2 Bartlett pears, cored and cut into 8 thick slices
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 cup baby arugula
Freshly ground pepper, to season
Candied walnuts
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
Sherry dressing
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
For candied walnuts, in small skillet, combine walnuts and sugar; cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add water and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes until nuts are coated with hardened sugar and golden. Remove from heat and cool on baking sheet.
For dressing, in small bowl, combine Dijon and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. To assemble salad, arrange equal amounts pear, Gorgonzola, and arugula on 4 plates. Spoon dressing over salad; sprinkle with candied walnuts. Season with pepper.