Asian Pear Salad with Tamari Pecans and Maytag Blue Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons pear or cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Pear Syrup, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon Extra-Virgin O Lemon Oil or unflavored extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cups mixed bitter salad greens, such as baby mustard, lovage, arugula, dandelion, and mizuna
• 1/4 cup chopped tamari pecans, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup dried currants or chopped raisins
• 1/4 cup crumbled chilled blue cheese (recommended: Maytag)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ripe Asian pear, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and syrup. Whisk in the oil and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the greens, pecans and currants. Sprinkle with the cheese and season lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk the dressing again and drizzle it over the salad.

Toss the salad gently and briefly; you do not want the cheese to crumble any further and clump together.

Divide the salad among 4 chilled salad plates. Fan the pear slices over each serving.

Pear Syrup:

3 cups pear juice

Put the pear juice in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and skim the thick foam that rises to the surface.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently, skimming occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the juice reduces to the consistency of maple syrup.

Let cool to room temperature. Use now or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Yield: 1/3 cup

Tamari Pecans:

1 tablespoon tamari sauce

2 teaspoons molasses

Cayenne pepper and salt

1 cup pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow bowl, stir the tamari and molasses together to blend. Season with cayenne and salt, to taste.

Add the pecans and toss until they are coated. Transfer the pecans to a clean kitchen towel and let drain briefly.

Spread the pecans on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, or until fairly dry and toasted.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the rack. Chop the pecans into 1/4-inch pieces.

Yield: 1 cup