This refreshing chopped salad was so tasty, my girls and I were fighting over the last serving. If you’ve never had jicama, it’s a slightly sweet, mild flavored, very moist and very crunchy root vegetable from Mexico. It’s also very high in fiber and Vitamin C. I can buy precooked barley in the freezer section of my grocery store. If you can’t find the precooked variety, I share simple cooking instructions below.

Recipe

Spring Greens with Pears, Sugared Walnuts & Gorgonzola

by Jennifer | JenniferCooks.com on May 19, 2010 in Green Salads, Salads

5.00 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

I love all kinds of salad and this one is no exception! I also love gorgonzola and bleu cheese.

Preparation Instructions

Salad: Combine spring greens, pears and herbs (if desired) in a large salad bowl. Top with cooled sugared walnuts.

Right before serving, toss salad with desired amount of dressing. Add gorgonzola crumbles at the very last, tossing lightly to incorporate into the salad.

Sugared walnuts: In a small pan, saute walnuts and white and brown sugar over medium heat until walnuts are caramelized, stirring often (they will be light brown and coated with melted sugar), approximately 4-6 minutes. Spread the walnuts on foil or waxed paper. After they cool, break apart.

For the dressing: Combine oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and garlic powder in a jar or container with a lid and shake well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

Ingredients

6 cups Spring Mix Salad Greens
2 whole Red Pears, Cored And Thinly Sliced
Your Choice Of Fresh Herbs, To Taste (optional)
8 ounces, weight Gorgonzola Cheese, Coarsely Crumbled
1 cup Walnut Halves
2 Tablespoons White Sugar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
_____
FOR THE DRESSING:
½ cups Oil
⅓ cups Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sugar
½ teaspoons Ground Mustard
½ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder

7 Reviews | Be the first to review!

Reviews

auntlynda on 5.21.2010

This salad is wonderful! And it is pretty to look at too. The sugared walnuts add a really special touch. I have also made this salad and used a “store-bought” raspberry-hazelnut vinaigrette dressing, and that was very good too.

AMC on 6.1.2010

This salad was DELICIOUS!! I added green onions and used more sugar and brown sugar for the walnuts. I definitely want to make this again. This is a great recipe. Thanks for sharing!!!!

Tried-N-True on 12.18.2010

EXCELLENT salad! I love salads that combine stronger cheeses with zippy dressings and sweet accents.

I added thinly sliced red onion, chives, sugar snap peas and craisins to this salad – AMAZING!

I LOVED the caramelized nuts. I didn’t have walnuts so I used sliced almonds, which was great!

I also added some of those almonds to the dressing. The dressing was already amazing on it’s own, but adding the almonds (and then whirling it through the processor for a few seconds) gave it a nuttier touch.

I crave salads like this…now I have a go-to recipe!

denise454 on 3.17.2011

Yummy! Took it to elementary school “Spud Day” as a side salad and it got great reviews! I couldn’t locate a ripe enough pear (of any color) so used a crisp, tart apple and it was perfect too. Thanks!

Daisy on 1.20.2012

I made this to take to a friend’s dinner party. It got rave reviews and I’m making a single-serving version for myself for lunch today. My only “complaint” is that the servings do not match up with the amount of food it makes- four adults all had 2 large servings and we had plenty of salad left.

amybut13 on 4.19.2012

Incredible! For allergy reasons, I switched to candied pecans instead, and it was still delicious. My choice of herb additions were simple; green onions in the salad itself and basil in the dressing, though I may try thyme next time. Thanks for a great recipe!

daddyschicks on 11.6.2012

AWESOME

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