Recipe: Pear and Gorgonzola Green Salad

PEAR AND GORGONZOLA GREEN SALAD

"This salad is a far cry from iceberg lettuce and bottled dressing, but it isn't much more work. And it's a magical combination of powerful flavors made without cooking or any major challenges. No wonder it's become a turn-of-the-century classic.

Simple as it is, without top-quality ingredients this salad won't amount to much. I love a good Basic Vinaigrette made with either sherry vinegar or good balsamic vinegar. The pears must be tender and very juicy, so sample one before making the salad--it should not be crunchy, mushy, or dr y. The Gorgonzola should be creamy; ask for a taste before buying it."

2 large pears, about 1 pound
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 ounces Gorgonzola or other creamy blue cheese
6 cups mixed greens, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
About 1/2 cup Basic Vinaigrette made with sherry or balsamic vinegar

Peel and core the pears; cut them into 1/2-inch chunks and toss with the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 2 hours.

Crumble the Gorgonzola into small bits; cover and refrigerate until needed.

When you're ready to serve, toss the pears, cheese, and greens to-gether with as much of the dressing as you like. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS:

- Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Walnuts:
To add another dimension-crunchiness--place 1 cup walnuts in a dry skillet with the heat on medium, and toast them, shaking the pan frequently until they are aromatic and beginning to darken in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients, then crumble them into bits over the salad. Try hazelnuts, too.

- Substitute spinach, arugula, or any other strong-flavored salad green for the mesclun.

- Add about a cup of diced cucumber or bell pepper (preferably red or yellow) to the greens when you toss them.

- Crumble about 1/2 cup of crisp-cooked bacon over the salad in place of or along with the walnuts.

- Omit the pears; just make a salad of greens and cheese. Nuts are great here too.

Makes 4 servings, Can be prepared in advance; easily multiplied
Excerpted from The Minimalist Cooks at Home by Mark Bittman
Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.