Wine Poached Pear Salad With Blue Cheese and Mustard Vinaigrette

Wine Poached Pear Salad With

Blue Cheese and Mustard Vinaigrette

This is another wonderful recipe from the class of Wine Country Cooking with Phyllis Carey. The recipe for the Kalmata Olive and Mushroom Tapenade on Parmesan Toasts recipe will print tomorrow. They are a wonderful accompaniment for the salad or to serve as an appetizer. Serves 4

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

(merlot, pinot noir, 2$ Chuck)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

1 3-inch cinnamon stick (not powdered)

2 firm Bosc pears, peeled,

halved lengthwise and cored

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Directions:

Place wine, orange juice, sugar, ginger and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Add pears and return to to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until pears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in syrup. (Can be done completely one day ahead.)

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Drain pears. Leaving top1 inch in tact at the narrow end of each pear, cut each lengthwise into thin slices. Gently press on pear to fan slices.

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Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups mixed baby greens

1/2 cup tosted walnuts

1/2 cup freshly crumbles Pt. Reyes Blue cheese

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Directions:

Vinaigrette: Whisk shallots, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Salad: Place greens in a large bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat. Mound greens on plate. Arrange one pear half on top and sprinkle with toasted walnuts and blue cheese. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired and serve immediately.

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Check tomorrow for the Kalmata Olive and Mushroom Tapenade Toasts recipe.