a salad that men may or may not scorn

Salads aren't perceived as manly; I know this. Some salads, though, are particularly susceptible to a man's scorn. They usually involve fruit, a gourmet cheese, candied nuts, and/or a vinaigrette.

This is one of those.

But it is oh-so-delicious, especially for fall. And more importantly, it is make ahead-able, so you can assemble it just prior to serving.

Grilled Pear, Gorgonzola, and Pecan Salad
 Serves 12-15

for the dressing:
1/4 c. (2 oz.) balsamic vinegar
3/4 c. (6 oz.) extra virgin olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of coarse ground pepper

for the salad:
2 containers of your favorite greens (I used one spring mix, and one arugula)
6-7 Bosc pears, cored and sliced about 1/8" thick
about 2 c. pecan halves, toasted
1 container Gorgonzola cheese
dried cranberries, optional
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt

1. Combine vinegar, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk until emulsified (or use a salad dressing shaker -- it makes the measuring and mixing super simple!). Set aside.


2. Drizzle olive oil (a couple of tablespoons) on a grill pan and heat on high. Place pear slices across the grill marks, sprinkle with kosher salt, and grill about 3 minutes on each side. They'll turn a glorious golden brown. Repeat until all pear slices are grilled, coating the pan with oil as needed, and set aside to cool.


3. Once pears are all grilled, use the same grill pan to toast your pecans. Drizzle olive oil on the pan, toss the pecans to coat, and heat on medium heat for a few minutes, until they begin to release their aroma.


4. Refrigerate all ingredients until serving. To assemble, place greens in serving bowl, and toss with vinaigrette (add a little at a time until you get your desired flavor -- don't feel obligated to use it all). Add cheese and pecans, and toss to coat. Top with pears and a handful of dried cranberries, if using.

a note about the dressing: If you're only making the salad for one or two people, and want to make less dressing, keep the 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil, but even that's not a hard, fast rule. Make it to your taste.

a note about the greens: Arugula is scary to some people, because it has a sort of peppery taste, but it's an excellent contrast to the sweetness of the pears. If you're feeling adventurous, give it a try! (It also looks prettiest, in my opinion, and can be mixed in with other greens if you need to ease yourself in.)

a note about the pears: Grilling the pears seems tedious, since they need to be turned individually, but stay the course. It's worth it! And, you could probably sauté them if you need a short-cut. Once they cool, they are fine to refrigerate overnight before serving, but you could also serve them on the salad warm.

a note about the nuts: I adore walnuts, and think those would be delicious, but I have gobs of pecans in my freezer that I was happy to use. Pick your favorite!

a note about the cheese: You can use blue cheese, goat cheese, or maybe Feta if you prefer. I think any would be yummy.

a note about the cranberries: I thought these would be a nice little pop of red and autumn, and they were, but I felt like they might've brought a little too much sweet to the party. Take or leave them; the salad will stand on its own.

I took this to a church potluck, and for the record, it was scorned by only one man, and enjoyed by the others. Be bold and serve it up for your next gathering!