Fruit and Salemville Gorgonzola Salad

INGREDIENTS:Caramelized Pecan Toffee:
1 cup pecan pieces
2 cups granulated sugar

Sherry Walnut Vinaigrette:
2 shallots, finely diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup sherry vinegar
1 ½ cups walnut oil
1 ½ cups olive oil
to taste, salt and ground black pepper

Salad:
5 heads Belgian endive, julienne
3 Granny Smith apples, julienne
3 Bosc or Bartlett pears, julienne
as needed, sherry walnut vinaigrette (see above)
1 ½ cups Salemville Gorgonzola, crumbled
as needed, caramel pecan toffee (see above)
3 heirloom marble or vine-ripe tomatoes
to taste, freshly ground black pepper DIRECTIONS:In a saute pan, toast pecans lightly. Add sugar and caramelize sugar with nuts until nuts are well-coated. Pour caramel onto oiled sheetpan and allow to cool. When cool, roughly chop.

For Sherry Walnut Vinaigrette:
In a bowl, place shallots, thyme and mustard. Add vinegar. While whisking continuously, add the two oils to emulsify mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Salad:
Toss endive, apples and pears with vinaigrette. Divide among plates. Sprinkle Salemville Gorgonzola cheese and toffee over each salad. Arrange 3 tomato wedges around each salad. Grind pepper over each salad. Serve with a young, fruity Chardonnay. SERVINGS:8-12 servings From:Chef Mich'l R. Maddox, Le Titi de Paris, Arlington Heights, IL. PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: DAIRY MANAGEMENT INC.