Baked Apple Salad with Red Wine Reduction

6 Red Delicious apples

½ liter red cooking wine (about 17 ounces)

½ cinnamon stick

½ cup sugar

12 ounces baby green salad mix

6 ounces blue cheese

12 cherry tomatoes

6 ounces walnuts

5 ounces extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash apples, cut the bottoms of the apples to make them level and remove the cores. Place the apples in a baking pan and add the red wine and cinnamon stick. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar. Bake 35- 50 minutes or until the apples are cooked but still firm; the skin should be tight and not wrinkled. The apples will spring back slightly when touched.

Remove the apples and put the red wine in a sauce pan. Reduce the wine over medium-high heat until thick, about 2 cups.

Wash and clean mixed greens. Cut the blue cheese into small pieces and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Whisk the olive oil into the red wine reduction and season to taste.

Combine the greens, walnuts, blue cheese, tomatoes and dressing. Slice the baked apples into thirds horizontally and layer the salad between the apple slices. Garnish as desired.

Serves six.

Cook's note: The recipe can easily be doubled for more servings.

Chef Massimo Gaffo, ABN AMRO, Chicago