Insalata di Pere e Gorgonzola

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large salad bowl
• •Sharp paring knife
• •Dry skillet for toasting walnuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the walnuts

   Place the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every thirty seconds. Watch them. They go from toasted to burnt in the time it takes to answer the telephone. When they are fragrant and slightly darkened, about 4 minutes, transfer them immediately to a plate to cool. Let them come to room temperature before using.

   Warm walnuts will wilt the greens on contact. This is not what we want. Patience costs nothing.
2. 2

   Prepare the greens

   Wash and dry the bitter greens thoroughly. Wet leaves refuse to hold dressing and turn the salad into a puddle. Tear the radicchio into bite-sized pieces. If using Belgian endive, slice it crosswise into half-inch rounds, separating the rings. Toss the greens together in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Slice the pears

   Cut the pears lengthwise into quarters. Remove the cores with a paring knife. Slice each quarter lengthwise into thin wedges, about one-quarter inch thick. The pears should be ripe enough to yield to gentle pressure but firm enough to hold their shape when sliced. A mushy pear has no place in this salad.

   If your pears are too hard, leave them at room temperature for two to three days. If too soft, save them for eating out of hand and buy firmer ones.
4. 4

   Crumble the Gorgonzola

   Break the Gorgonzola into rough chunks with your fingers. Some pieces the size of hazelnuts, others like small marbles. Uniformity is not the goal. The cheese should be at room temperature, soft enough to crumble but not melting. Cold cheese from the refrigerator will not release its full flavor.

5. 5

   Dress the greens

   Drizzle the olive oil over the greens. Toss gently with your hands, coating every leaf. Add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Toss again. Taste a leaf. It should be lightly dressed, not dripping. You can add more oil and vinegar. You cannot remove what is already there.

6. 6

   Compose the salad

   Divide the dressed greens among four plates. Arrange the pear slices over and among the leaves. Scatter the Gorgonzola crumbles across each portion. Add the toasted walnuts. Finish with a light grinding of black pepper and, if desired, a final thread of balsamic vinegar drizzled over the pears. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out Gorgonzola dolce from a reputable cheese shop. The cheese should be creamy, almost spreadable, with blue-green veining throughout. Reject any that smells of ammonia or has dried, cracked edges.
• •Bosc pears hold their shape best for slicing. Bartlett and Anjou work when perfectly ripe. Asian pears are too crisp and lack the floral sweetness this salad requires.
• •If you cannot find authentic aged balsamic vinegar, use a good quality commercial balsamic reduced by half over low heat until syrupy. Do not use the thin, harsh supermarket vinegar without reducing it first.
• •The bitter greens provide architecture. Without them, this becomes a pile of sweetness. Radicchio di Treviso, with its long tapered leaves, is particularly beautiful here.

Advance Preparation

• •Walnuts can be toasted up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• •Greens can be washed, dried, and refrigerated wrapped in towels for up to one day.
• •Pears must be sliced just before serving. They brown within minutes of cutting. If you must slice ahead, toss them lightly with lemon juice, but know that the lemon adds a flavor that does not belong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 270g)