Holiday Pomegranate, Pear, And Grape Salad With Candied Pecans

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup candied pecans (see my sweet and spicy candied pecans - with a kick)
• 1 large bunch red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 pomegranate)
• 2 cups large dark seedless grapes, halved
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 4 ripe red pears
• 1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh orange zest

Recipe

• 1 make candied pecans.
• 2 in a large bowl, toss together the pomegranate seeds, grapes, red onion, and the blue cheese.
• 3 divide torn lettuce leaves among 8 salad plates, and top each salad with the fruit mixture.
• 4 halve and core pears and cut into 1/2-inch slices-- put a pear half, skin side up, in the center of each salad.
• 5 arrange candied pecans around the pears.
• 6 just before serving, heat balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking and stirring until brown sugar dissolves. off the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 7 drizzle warm dressing over each salad, sprinkle with orange zest, and serve right away.