Pear Gorgonzola Salad Kit Recipes

ROASTED ROSEMARY-GORGONZOLA PEARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Cut thin slice from rounded side of pear halves, if necessary, so they'll rest level in pan. In 13x9-inch pan, arrange pear halves, cut sides up. Brush tops of pears with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary.
• Roast uncovered 15 minutes. Fill cored hollow of each pear half with 2 teaspoons cheese. Roast uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pears are tender and cheese is soft. Sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

PEAR GORGONZOLA AND WALNUT SALAD

Steps:

• While green salads are great, I'm frequently looking for something...a bit different. And since salads can be composed of just about anything, you don't have to look too far. In this recipe video I make a simple salad from pear, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and endive. The pear, walnut and blue cheese are a classic combination, and taste really great together. I find the endive has the perfect texture and crunch to stand up to the other ingredients, and the shape allows you to create little "boats" for the salad, which makes this perfect for a party.Recipe Overview and Keys to SuccessHere are few cooking tips I'd like you to be aware of for this recipe:As with any dish, but certainly for the raw/uncooked recipes, use the best ingredients you can find. If the endive doesn't look good, find some romaine, or radicchio, or something else. You can't make bad ingredients taste good.This salad (and most others) is all about balance. You need the right amount of each ingredient so that they play nicely together and don't overpower one another. Sure I love blue cheese, but if you use a pound of it...all you'll taste is blue cheese. The amounts I have below are guidelines, and feel free to make adjustments for your own tastes, but you want to make sure you taste each component...including the dressing.As I mention above, this is a great party salad. And, it's easy to prepare the salad a few hours in advance, and keep it in the fridge. But I'd hold off on filling the "boats" until about 20 minutes before serving.Ingredients for Pear, Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad (for 2)2 endive2 - 3 tablespoons gorgonzola - crumbled2 - 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts1 pear diced (I leave the skin on, but you can remove if desired)One scallion - finely chopped1 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette1 tablespoon finely diced and sautéed bacon lardonsSalt and pepperMaking the SaladFinely chop a slice of bacon or pancetta, and sauté until crispy; remove to a paper towel to drainToast the walnuts in a 250 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes; set aside to coolMake the balsamic vinaigrette and set asideCarefully remove the outer layers of the endive by snapping them off at the base. You should get 5 - 7 pieces per endive before they become very smallWrap the leaves in a moist paper towel and stash in the fridgeDice the remaining core of the endive into small pieces, and put them in a mixing bowl; discard the route endDice a pear, and add to the bowlFinely chop the green parts of two scallionsAdd the crumbled gorgonzola, bacon, walnuts, scallions, and about a tablespoon of dressingSeason with salt and pepper, and toss to combineTaste the filling, and add more seasoning, or vinaigrette if neededSpoon the filling into the endive leaves we pulled off earlier and line them up on a serving tray or plateServe and enjoy!!This is a great summer/spring salad that has a ton of flavor and texture. It's great with a nice crisp chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. Hope you enjoy it, and leave me a comment to let me know how it goes.

GORGONZOLA PEAR SALAD

Steps:

• For dressing, in a blender, combine the vinegar, pear halves and salt; cover and process until smooth. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream., In a salad bowl, combine the greens, chopped pears, tomato, walnuts and cheese. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing; toss to coat. Serve with pepper if desired. Refrigerate any leftover dressing.

PEARS WITH MAPLE WALNUTS AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir sugar and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and maple syrup into a large saute pan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add nuts; toss to coat.
• Transfer nuts to a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar mixture; toss to coat. Toast in oven until fragrant, about 7 minutes. Let nuts cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.
• To serve, arrange candied nuts, pear wedges, and Gorgonzola on a serving platter.