how2heroes » Frisée Salad w/ Poached Pears & Spiced Red Wine Glaze

Salads » Frisée Salad w/ Poached Pears & Spiced Red Wine Glaze

Pears submerged in red wine and slowly simmered get this salad started. The wine is flavored with aromatic cloves and allspice, then reduced to a vibrant syrupy glaze. Tender fruit and gorgonzola cheese make great counterpoints to toasted walnuts and crisp frisée greens. Tom Cutrone, chef/owner of Savinos, also demonstrates how to slice pear fans, to present a dish as beautiful and colorful as it is delicious.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

2 very ripe Bartlett pears (½ pear per serving)
2 cups red wine
¾ cup water
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
½ tsp whole cloves
½ tsp allspice
2 bay leaves

Salad

1 large head frisée, quartered
½ cup toasted walnuts*
drizzle of olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
pinch & black pepper
gorgonzola cheese, sliced into triangles

Special Equipment

wax paper or parchment paper (to keep pears submerged while poaching)

How-to

Prep & Poach Pears

Peel pears and slice in half. Remove seeds with a small spoon, and core with a paring knife
Add pears to a medium saucepan with wine, water, peppercorns, cloves, allspice and bay leaves
Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat. The pears should be submerged in the liquid. It helps to keep the pears submerged by pressing a small piece of wax paper or parchment paper atop the liquid and allowing it to stay during the cooking process
Simmer 15-20 minutes until pears are soft but not overcooked
Remove from heat and allow pears to cool in the liquid

*Toast Walnuts (not demonstrated in video

Preheat oven to 350-400º
Spread walnuts on baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool

Make Red Wine Glaze

Drain about 1 cup of the cooled red wine poaching liquid into a small sauté pan on medium-high heat
Add sugar and reduce until syrupy, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool

Assemble Salad

To plate, toss each quarter of a head of frisée with a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of the cooled spiced wine reduction and a dash of salt and pepper
Top with triangles of gorgonzola cheese and sprinkle with toasted walnuts
Cut each pear half in half once again, and make scores in the bottom portion of the pear, creating a fanned effect. Place atop salad and drizzle with additional spiced wine glaze