A lovely combination of of arugula with walnuts and gorgonzola, topped pomegranate, this salad was inspired by one I’ve had at the wine bar Spuntino in Clifton, New Jersey. It’s a good salad to serve at Christmas because it’s red and green — and just fancy enough to impress the guests. You’ll need to compose the salad on plates to make sure everyone gets the right ratio of cheese, nuts and pomegranate seeds.
Arugula Salad with Gorgonzola, Walnuts and Pomegranate
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 ounces balsamic vinegar
4 ounces olive oil
Salt and pepper
10-12 cups arugula (10 to 12 ounces)
6 ounces gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
Preheat the oven to 350. Place the walnuts on a sheet pan. Toast for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Roughly chop them.
Cut the pomegranate in half. Using a wooden spoon, knock the seeds out into a bowl. These two steps can be done 1-2 days ahead. Store nuts in a sealed container and the seeds in the refrigerator.
Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the arugula in a big bowl. Toss with dressing. You may not need all the dressing, so go light at first.
Plate the arugula on a salad plate. Onto each plate, place a small handful each of the nuts, seeds and cheese. Grind pepper over the salads and serve.
Serves 8 to 12.
