Pear Salad

This recipe is from my sister - her company had a "salad party" where everyone brought a different salad and her boss made this Pear Salad. It is so tasty! The pears are tender, and you serve them warm with the port wine sauce, which kinda "melts" the mixed greens and it "melts" in your mouth! I was afraid it might be too sweet for a salad, with the pears and the port wine sauce, but it isn't - and the gorgonzola cheese adds just enough kick of flavor. I can't eat nuts, and this recipe calls for pine nuts, so I omitted them - and added dried cranberries instead - they were a nice topping to the salad. Enjoy!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 pears - peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup Tawny port wine - covers pears to about 1/2 way in the pan - add more if too much condenses (Note: you can get this at your grocery store in the wine section)

6 cups assorted salad greens

1 cup gorgonzola cheese (gorgonzola cheese can be too strong of a flavor - and smell - for some people - try feta instead if gorgonzola isn't your thing)

1 cup pine nuts, sauteed (small jar will do for 4 people) (If you are allergic to nuts, try dried cranberries instead)

2 table spoons sugar

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Pour port wine into a saucepan. Add sliced pears and sugar. Sautee on medium until pears are tender.

In another sauce pan add olive oil and pine nuts. Carefully cook pine nuts on low until lightly brown (stand over this one, it can burn easily).

Divide the salad greens evenly between four serving plates. Arrange some of the pear slices over each plate of salad greens. Sprinkle with gorgonzola (or feta) cheese. Drizzle port wine dressing from sauce pan over each plate, then sprinkle with pine nuts (or dried cranberries). Serve warm.

I served the Pear Salad with marinated grilled chicken - it would also be good with a grilled steak.