Poached Pear Salad With Blue Cheese and Champagne Vinaigrette

This is a nice salad dish for the holiday season or special dinner. Much of this can be made ahead...a real time-saver! They suggest saving the poaching liquid for a spiced-wine spritzer or served warm as mulled wine. I tried the wine spritzer and it was very refreshing. From Bon Appetit December, 2009.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
• 1  cup  orange juice
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped
• 1  cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 4  bosc pears, firm, peeled, halved lengthwise, cored
• 1⁄4 cup shallot, minced (about 1 large)
• 3  tablespoons champagne vinegar or 3  tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
• 12  cups  mixed baby greens (from two 5-ounce packages)
• 1  cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 1  cup blue cheese, crumbled (about 5 ounces)

Directions

1. PEARS:
2. Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in large wide saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
3. Add pear halves, cut side down. Return syrup to boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until pears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely.
5. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
6. Drain pears.
7. Leaving top 1 inch intact (at narrow end), cut each pear half lengthwise into thin slices.
8. Gently press on pear halves to fan slightly.
9. VINAIGRETTE AND SALAD:
10. Whisk shallot, vinegar, and mustard in small bowl to blend.
11. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup oil.
12. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.
13. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
14. Place greens in large bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.
15. Mound greens on plates.
16. Arrange 1 pear half atop greens on each plate.
17. Sprinkle with walnuts and cheese.
18. Drizzle with more vinaigrette, if desired, and serve.