SPINACH PEAR SALAD

This is a great salad adapted from Sunset Magazine (love their recipes)

Ingredients:

2 t sugar
2 t corn syrup
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cardamom
1/8 t cayenne
1/8 t ground cloves
1 cup pecan halves
3 t grapeseed oil
1 t white wine vinegar
few grinds of pepper from the mill
1 t shallot
1 small bag spinach
2 ripe pears

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a mixing bowl

Add 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t cardamom, the cayenne and cloves

cover nuts thoroughly with sugar mixture and spread on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper

toast nuts in preheated oven at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool

rinse the spinach thoroughly and let drain

slice the pears thinly

Whisk vinegar, oil, shallot, remaining salt, cardamom and pepper in a large bowl

Dump the spinach, nuts and pears on top and toss lightly

A nice light Riesling may be perfect with this, if you can find a good one. If not, your best bet is probably a crisp Chardonnay.

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