Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds, Pine Nuts & Gorgonzola

Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds, Pine Nuts & Gorgonzola

adjust the quantities according to how you like your salad:

1 fresh pomegranate

1 granny smith apple

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 ounces gorgonzola cheese

salad greens

2 tablespoons red apple vinegar (or any other fresh flavored vinegar you like, for example, peach)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (I like to use garlic flavored oil sometimes)

salt and pepper to taste

Fill a medium bowl with water. Slice the top off the pomegranate with a small, sharp knife. Score four sides of the pomegranate and break it open with your thumbs into sections. Place the sections into the water and, under the water, pick or scrape out the seed with your fingers. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the inedible parts will float to the top of the water. When you are done with all of the sections, remove the parts that are floating and place the seeds in a small strainer and rinse, picking out any other small white inedible parts.

Slice the granny smith apple into matchsticks. Use more or less to your liking.

Place the pine nut in a little fry pan and toast them over medium heat for just a few minutes, until they turn slightly golden. Alternatively, you can place them on a foil lined baking pan and toast them in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 6-7 minutes, until they are slightly golden.

Crumble the gorgonzola cheese into small pieces.

Place your salad greens in a large bowl and toss with the seeds, pine nuts, cheese and apples, reserving just a few for topping. Whisk the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Drizzle a little of the dressing onto the greens and toss gently. Drizzle just enough dressing onto the salad to lightly coat the leaves - not too much. Add additional salt and pepper if you like and scatter the reserved toppings over the salad.

The Italian Dish

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