Shelly's Recipe

ROMAINE AND GORGONZOLA SALAD WITH ROASTED GARLIC DRESSING AND SPICED PECANS

Category: Salad

6 tbsp olive oil
10 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp honey, apple cider vinegar and apple cider
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 cups bite-size pieces romaine lettuce (1 large head)
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Spiced Pecans (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350. Toss oil with garlic in small baking dish. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake until garlic is golden and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic from skins. Reserve oil.

Transfer roasted garlic to processor. Add honey, vinegar, cider and mustard and blend well. With processor running, slowly add reserved garlic oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss lettuce with 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese and enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and Spiced Pecans and serve. Serves 4

Spiced Pecans
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup (generous) pecan halves

Combine 2 cups water, sugar, allspice, cayenne and paprika in heavy small saucepan. Bring to boil; boil until mixture registers 220 degrees on candy thermometer, about 3 minutes. Add pecans and cook until syrup clings to pecans, about 5 minutes. Drain pecans well.

Place on cookie sheet in 350 oven and cook until crisp. Cool. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Makes about 1 cup.