Seasonal Country Salad With Spiced Walnuts Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN SALAD WITH SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Mix together minced onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, za'atar, salt and olive oil. Allow to sit for a while for flavors to combine.
• Put lettuce in bowl and add all ingredients on top. Drizzle with vinaigrette and then mix to combine.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Beat egg white until foamy.Combine all other ingredients except walnuts and mix into egg whites.Stir in walnuts and coat well.Spread mixture evenly on an ungreased baking sheet.Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and stir, toss and seperate nuts.Reduce heat to 250 degrees F and cook for another 10 minutes or until medium brown.Remove from oven and toss and stir again. Allow to cool (they will crisp up as they cool)Sprinkle on top of salad.

GARDEN SALAD WITH WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• To prepare dressing, puree all ingredients in a small blender or food processor until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (May be prepared several days ahead.)
• Place greens, walnuts, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing; toss well to coat. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

FRISEE SALAD WITH SPICED WALNUTS, PEARS, FARMHOUSE CHEDDAR, AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Dressing: Simmer the port in a small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let cool, then whisk in the vinegar, shallot, and salt and pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
• Salad: In a large bowl, toss the frisee or mesclun, radicchio, and pear. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Drizzle with the dressing; you probably won't use it all. With a vegetable peeler, shave the cheese over top. Scatter the walnuts on top and serve immediately.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add walnuts and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer nuts to a medium bowl. While nuts are still hot and slightly wet, add confectioners' sugar and toss to coat nuts. Stir and toss until all the sugar has melted into the nuts; if bits of un-melted sugar remain on the nuts, they will not fry properly.
• Stir the nuts again before frying. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer a few nuts to the hot oil, allowing the foam to subside before adding another spoonful. (Otherwise, the oil could foam over and burn you.) Fry in small batches until the nuts are medium brown, about 45 seconds; be careful not to overcook. Scatter on an unlined baking sheet to cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, stir together cayenne, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and pepper, to taste.
• While the nuts are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle evenly with about half of the spice mix. Toss well to distribute the spices and then taste a nut. Add more spice mix, to taste, and toss well after each addition. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

SEASONAL COUNTRY SALAD WITH SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Make the spiced walnuts:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, spices, and salt. Toast the walnuts lightly on a sheet pan in the oven, for about 4-5 minutes. While the nuts are toasting, heat the spiced sugar in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. When the sugar just begins to melt around the edges, toss in the warm nuts, straight from the oven. Shake the pan vigorously over the burner until all the nuts are coated in sugar - it will cling in somewhat uneven patches, but that is the effect I like. Pour the nuts onto a plate or baking sheet to cool - don't be tempted to try one until they have really cooled down, since sugar at this temperature will give you a burned tongue to remember!
• Make your salad:
• Toss the salad greens with the spiced walnuts and the vinaigrette and top with a generous slice of ham and 1 ounce of cheese per person, according to the seasons (see Weighing Your Options).
• Weighing your options:
• Spring: Grilled Asparagus with Serrano Ham and Maytag Blue Cheese (to grill asparagus, blanch the asparagus to halfway tender, brush with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until lightly brown)
• Summer: Fresh Black Mission Figs with Smithfield Ham and Aged Goat Cheese
• Fall: Lightly Roasted Seckel Pears with Pecorino Romano and Prosciutto
• Winter: Blood Oranges and Fennel with Feta and Prosciutto

SPICED CANDIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add walnuts and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer nuts to a medium bowl. While nuts are still hot and slightly wet, add confectioners' sugar and toss to coat nuts. Stir and toss until all the sugar has melted into the nuts; if bits of un-melted sugar remain on the nuts, they will not fry properly.
• Stir the nuts again before frying. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer a few nuts to the hot oil, allowing the foam to subside before adding another spoonful. (Otherwise, the oil could foam over and burn you.) Fry in small batches until the nuts are medium brown, about 45 seconds; be careful not to overcook. Scatter on an unlined baking sheet to cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, stir together cayenne, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
• While the nuts are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle evenly with about half of the spice mix. Toss well to distribute the spices and then taste a nut. Add more spice mix, to taste, and toss well after each addition. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

ENDIVE AND APPLE SALAD WITH SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together egg white and 1/2 teaspoon salt until frothy. Whisk in sugar, wine, cinnamon and cayenne (if desired) until smooth. Add nuts and toss until they are well coated with egg mixture.
• Spread nuts on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The nuts should be glazed and golden at the edges. Let cool. Coarsely chop 1 cup of the nuts (save the rest for noshing).
• Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, combine shallot, vinegar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss well. Let sit for 10 minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Add apples, and toss to coat.
• Put endive and arugula in a salad bowl. Add apple mixture and chopped nuts, and toss well. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper, and serve at once.

SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°. In a bowl, beat egg white and water until foamy. Add walnuts. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add nut mixture; toss to coat. , Transfer to greased baking sheets. Bake until toasted and crisp, 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the walnuts, tossing to coat.
• Add the sugar, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring constantly for 8 minutes or until nuts are well coated and sugar has caramelized.

MISSY'S CANDIED WALNUT GORGONZOLA SALAD

Steps:

• Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.
• Place in a large salad bowl the mixed greens, cranberries, cheese, vinaigrette, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss gently; add candied walnuts, and toss again.

SPICED WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat honey, oil, and 1 tablespoon water over medium heat. Add walnuts; toss to coat.
• Sprinkle the sugar, salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne over the nuts. Cook, tossing and stirring until the nuts are well coated and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool completely.

ORANGE, SPICED WALNUT AND DRIED CRANBERRY SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add nuts; toss to coat well. Strain nuts, reserving liquid. Transfer nuts to baking sheet. Sprinkle nuts with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 17 minutes. Cool completely.
• Whisk 3/4 cup water, cranberry juice and reserved liquid from nuts in medium saucepan to blend. Stir in dried cranberries. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until cranberries soften and liquid is reduced to thin syrup, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store nuts airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill cranberry mixture.)
• Arrange orange slices on platter. Spoon cranberry mixture over. Sprinkle nuts over. Garnish with mint, if desired.

ORANGE, SPICED WALNUT AND DRIED CRANBERRY SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add nuts; toss to coat well. Strain nuts, reserving liquid. Transfer nuts to baking sheet. Sprinkle nuts with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 17 minutes. Cool completely.
• Whisk 3/4 cup water, cranberry juice and reserved liquid from nuts in medium saucepan to blend. Stir in dried cranberries. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until cranberries soften and liquid is reduced to thin syrup, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store nuts airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill cranberry mixture.)
• Arrange orange slices on platter. Spoon cranberry mixture over. Sprinkle nuts over. Garnish with mint, if desired.