Frise Salad with Spiced Walnuts Pears, Blue Cheese and Port Vinaigrette

6 servings

Dressing:

1 cup port
1-½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small shallot, finely minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
1-½ cups ribbon-cut radicchio
8 cups loosely packed frisée (curly endive), torn into bite-size pieces
1 crisp red pear, halved, cored and very thinly sliced crosswise
2-ounce chunk blue cheese, frozen
½ cup coarsely broken Spiced Candied Walnuts (see recipe)

1. To prepare the dressing: Simmer the port in a saucepan until reduced to a thick syrup, about 3 tablespoons. (If the syrup becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon or so of water.) Let cool, then whisk in the wine vinegar, shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.

2. To prepare the salad: After coring the radicchio, slice into 1/8-inch- wide ribbons. Put into a large bowl, cover with ice water and let soak 20 minutes. Drain and repeat. Drain again and pat dry. (Refrigerate if not using right away.)

3. In a large bowl, toss the frisée, radicchio and pear. Drizzle with the dressing. Using the medium holes of a box grater, shave the blue cheese in a fine snowlike shower over the salads. Scatter the walnuts on top and serve immediately.

From "Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking: Wine Country Recipes for Family and Friends."