Arugula and Pear Salad With Honey Thyme Vinaigrette
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 - 10:22pm

Ingredients




2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon shallot, minced 
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 firm ripe Anjou pear, sliced
4 cups chilled baby arugula - (packed)
1/2 cup  walnuts or pecans
2/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Preparation

1 Place the honey, lemon juice, shallot, oil, thyme, salt and pepper to taste in a small dish. Stir well. (This can be made several hours ahead and kept at room temperature.) 2 To serve, split pear in half lengthwise, core and cut into long thin slices. Toss the pear slices in 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette; set aside. 3 Place the arugula in a large bowl. Add the remaining vinaigrette to the bowl. Gently toss until the leaves are coated. Add walnuts and all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Toss to mix. Taste; adjust the seasoning. 4 Divide the salad among 4 chilled plates; mound attractively. Arrange the pear slices on the greens and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Serve immediately.