Salad
7 c mixed greens
6 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Pecan Crunch
2/3 c pecans, chopped coarsely
2 T butter
1 T sugar
½ t salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ t cayenne pepper
Vinaigrette
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t orange zest
2 t honey
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ c orange juice
½ c olive oil
To make pecan crunch: Combine all the pecan crunch ingredients in a small heavy pan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar caramelizes. Place the mixture in a small paper bag to cool. Shake the bag occasionally to break up the pieces. The pecan crunch can be stored in an airtight container up to a week or frozen for up to a month.
Combine the mustard, orange zest, honey, vinegar, and orange juice in a medium bowl. Whisk in the oil until blended. The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to two days.
To assemble the salad, combine a handful of cleaned and chilled greens on individual serving places with 1 oz of the cheese. Sprinkle pecan crunch on top of each salad and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serves 6.