Warm green salads are such a lovely addition to cold weather menus. Warm, flavor-enriched dressings wake up the garden greens in a zesty way. There are so many greens available today that you can put your own signature on this salad. A variety of lettuces, baby spinach, arugula, spring mix and frisee work well here.

Portobello mushrooms are actually large dark cremini mushrooms--- my preference for their rich mushroom flavor. It's essential to scrape the gills from portobellos before cooking so the vinaigrette won't turn black. Some taste will be lost, but not much. Since portobellos tend to dry out when grilled, it is important to marinate them for at least an hour before cooking. The earthy, meaty flavor of these fungi stands up well to the dressing of strong vinegar and tart dried cherries.

If you prefer a sweeter flavor you can opt for sweetened dried cherries. The fresh goat cheese adds just the right complementary flavor. Sometimes I serve a puree of vegetable soup to begin and then this salad as my main course, in which case this recipe serves two or three as a main course.

Wilted Greens with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cherry Vinaigrette

Serves 4 to 6.

1/2 pound fresh portobello mushrooms

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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