Spinach Salad With Blue Cheese Spiced Walnuts Pears And Port Vinaigrette Recipes

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Soak the red onion in a small bowl of ice water, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, make the croutons: Mash the anchovies with a fork. Combine the olive oil, mashed anchovies, 1 grated garlic clove and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the torn bread and toss with your hands until the bread absorbs the oil. Spread on a baking sheet and bake, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
• Whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, blue cheese, vinegar, parsley, the remaining grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the spinach, lettuce, cucumber, red onion and croutons; toss well.

STRAWBERRY, SPINACH, AND PEAR SALAD

Steps:

• Place the walnuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat; toast the nuts while stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes; set aside to cool completely.
• Toss together the spinach and romaine lettuce in a large mixing bowl, and toss with 1/2 cup of balsamic vinaigrette. Arrange the strawberries, pears, feta cheese, and walnuts over the top of the salad. Dress the salad with another 3 tablespoons vinaigrette to serve.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place dressing ingredients in a sealed jar or cruet and shake well to mix.
• Toss all the salad ingredients to mix well.
• Do not add dressing until just before serving.

BLUEBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, oil, mustard, and sugar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well.
• Toss spinach, blueberries, blue cheese, and candied pecans in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently; 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.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE, SPICED WALNUTS, PEARS, AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• FOR SPICED WALNUTS: Preheat oven to 300. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray foil lightly with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white and next 7 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add walnuts and toss to coat well. Spread walnuts in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until walnuts are dry, about 14 minutes. Cool walnuts completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.) FOR SALAD: Bring Port, sugar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pears; cover and simmer until tender when pierced with knife, turning pears every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let cool uncovered 20 minutes, turning pears once. Refrigerate pan uncovered until pears are chilled, turning every 1/2 hour, about 1 1/2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pears from poaching liquid; reserve liquid. Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and core. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set pear slices aside. Boil 1/2 cup pear poaching liquid, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and cool to room temperature. Whisk in vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange pear slices around edges of 4 plates. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese between pear slices. Toss spinach and 1/2 cup dressing in large bowl to coat; mound in center of plates. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE, SPICED WALNUTS, PEARS AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring Port, sugar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pears, cover and simmer until tender when pierced with knife, turning pears every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let cool uncovered 20 minutes, turning pears once. Refrigerate pan uncovered until pears are chilled, turning every ½ hour, for about 1 ½ hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pears from poaching liquid: reserve liquid. Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and core. Cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices. Set pear slices aside. Boil ½ cup pear poaching liquid, shallots, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium, bowl and cool to room temperature. Whisk in vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange pears slices around edges of 4 plates. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese between pear slices. Toss spinach and ½ cup dressing in large bowl to coat; mound in center of plates. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

DIJON-WALNUT SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, feta cheese, cranberries and walnuts. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

SPINACH & WALNUT SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Mash the blue cheese, crème fraîche and some seasoning in a bowl with 50ml water until smooth and pourable.
• Put the spinach onto a serving plate, scatter over the walnut pieces and drizzle with the blue cheese dressing.

SPINACH SALAD WITH PEARS & CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• In a small heavy skillet, melt butter. Add brown sugar; cook and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add pecans; cook for 3-5 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Spread onto foil to cool., In a small bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, lemon juice, onion and salt; set aside. Just before serving, in a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, pears, cheese and candied pecans. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

SPINACH & BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH WALNUT DRESSING

Steps:

• FOR THE DRESSING.
• Preheat your oven to 180°C.
• Spread the walnuts on a baking tray and cook in the preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until aromatic and toasted.
• Combine the walnuts, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a screw top jar and shake well to combine.
• FOR THE SALAD.
• Place the spinach, tomatoes and blue cheese in a large bowl.
• Drizzle with the dressing, toss gently to combine and serve immediately.