I’ve been wanting to make this salad for a long time. I first saw it at Allrecipes.com.
Here’s my variation based on what was handyin the fridge — I took out the avocado though. It has a delicious, complex flavor with lots of different textures. I’d def. keep some romaine in for crunch but I’d like to mix in other greens too. Might not use all the dressing — I just dumped it in but it was a bit too much since I don’t think I had a full head of lettuce.
Ingredients
- 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
- 3 pears – peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 – 4 ounces Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the nuts. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.
