Carmelized Pear & Gorgonzola Salad
Love, love, love this salad!
Ingredients
- Mixed salad greens for 4-6 people
- 3 Tbls. gorgonzola cheese crumbles
- 2 large ripe bartlet or bosc pears
- 1 Tbls. unsalted butter
- 1 c. sweet Marsala wine
- 1 Tbls. honey
- 2 Tbls. sugar
- 1 c. walnuts or pecans (broken pieces)
Dresssing
- 3 Tbls. good balsamic vinegar (18 yr or older)
- 3 Tbls. Bertolli extra light olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Caramelized Pears: Core pears with an apple corer and remove peel from each slice; then cut each section into bite-size chunks. Over medium heat, brown pears in butter in a sauté pan. Add Marsala wine and reduce to a glaze and liquid has evaporated. Cool and store in refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Candied Nuts: Combine honey and sugar in a small bowl. Place nuts on a small baking pan and bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Remove from oven; add nuts to honey/sugar mixture. Return walnuts to oven and bake until browned (5-7 minutes). Remove nuts to a plate to cool. Break apart, store in an air-tight container until ready to assemble.
Balsamic Dressing: Mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil with wire whisk or shake in a jar. Salt and pepper to taste.
When ready to assemble, put lettuce in a salad bowl, add nuts, pears and cheese crumbles (you can add more cheese if you like).
Drizzle with dressing to coat to your liking and serve.
NOTE: Other uses for Marsala wine, check out these recipes (select link below):
Chicken Marsala
Pork Marsala with Mushrooms