Salad With Candied Walnuts And Poached Pears

Recipe Ingredients

		Candied Walnuts
1 cup	146g / 5.1oz	Walnut halves
1/4 cup	49g / 1.7oz	Powdered sugar - plus
2 tablespoons	30ml	Powdered sugar
		Oil - for deep frying
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Salt - or to taste
		Poached Pear
1 cup	198g / 7oz	Sugar
		Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup	237ml	Water
1		Pear - peeled, cored,
		And cut in half
		Balsamic Vinaigrette
3/4 cup	177ml	Olive oil - plus
1 tablespoon	15ml	Olive oil
1 tablespoon	15ml	Minced garlic
1 tablespoon	15ml	Minced shallot
1/4 cup	59ml	Balsamic vinegar
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1		Sugar
1		Roma tomato - diced small
1/4 cup	10g / 0.4oz	Thinly-sliced basil leaves
		Assembly
1		Bag mixed greens - (6 to 8 oz)
1/2 cup	118ml	Candied Walnuts
2		Tomatoes - cut in wedges
6 oz	170g	Gorgonzola cheese - crumbled

Recipe Instructions

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.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 09-08-1999

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