Spinach Salad With Jamaican Vinaigrette And Caramelized Pecans Recipes

SPINACH SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Melt butter in small frying pan over low heat.
• Add pecans and brown sugar.
• Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is caramelized.
• Spread out on wax paper to cool.
• In bowl toss together spinach, pecans, apple and cheese.
• Add oil and vinegar and toss again until everything is coated.
• Chef's note: To make ahead for a special dinner--toss apple with dressing. Layer on greens, cheese and pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until needed, tossing just before serving.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BALSAMIC MAPLE VINAIGRETTE AND SUGARED PECANS

Steps:

• To make the vinaigrette, mix all the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously.
• For the sugared pecans, heat the sugar, water, salt and pepper together in a small saucepan until bubbly. Add the pecans and toss to coat. Cook over medium-low heat until coated and caramelized. (They will become shiny and the outside and coating will begin to harden.) Once they start cooking, they need to be constantly stirred or they will burn. Once the pan begins to smoke and pecans are fragrant, place the pecans on wax paper to cool. (If making ahead, store in a sealable plastic bags or airtight container.)
• Toss the desired amount of the vinaigrette with the spinach, bacon, red onion, cranberries and blue cheese. Top with pecans and grind fresh pepper over the top, if desired. Refrigerate remaining vinaigrette.
• Variations:
• Red leaf lettuce or any combination of lettuces may be used in place of spinach.
• Almonds and walnuts are also delicious sugared.
• For color and texture, add mandarin oranges, unpeeled slices of Red Delicious apples, or diced pear, if desired.
• Pear, champagne or raspberry vinegar may be substituted for the balsamic vinegar.
• This dressing made with balsamic also pairs well with greens mixed with tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, diced red onion and feta or blue cheese.

SPINACH SALAD WITH SWEET ROASTED PECANS AND GORGONZOLA WITH SHERRY SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place spinach in serving bowl.
• Toss pecans with vegetable oil, sugar and salt. Lay out on baking sheet. Roast until shade darker and aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Make dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, shallots and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisking together or place in sealable container and shake.
• Toss spinach with dressing, Gorgonzola and pecans.

SPINACH SALAD WITH JAMAICAN VINAIGRETTE AND CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Place the spinach and watercress in a large bowl. Pour some of the vinaigrette on top and toss. Top with the chopped caramelized pecans and sprinkle the scallions over the top. Drizzle some more vinaigrette on top. If you have leftover vinaigrette, you can eat it with a spoon!

SPINACH SALAD WITH SWEET VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, add the eggs and a few pinches of salt. Cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. Remove from water and cool in a bowl of iced water. Peel and set aside.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the oil. Add the onions and bacon and saute until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the vinegar, mustard, sugar, black pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute. Set aside and keep warm.
• In a large serving bowl add the spinach, avocado and the lemon juice to keep avocado from turning brown. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cut the eggs into quarters and add to the bowl. Ladle desired amount of dressing on the salad and serve.

STRAWBERRY AND SPINACH SALAD WITH HONEY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine the spinach, strawberries, Gorgonzola cheese, and pecans in a large bowl.
• Stir the balsamic vinegar and honey together in a bowl; slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture while whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.

SPINACH SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine spinach and mushrooms; set aside. For dressing, combine onion, salt, pepper and mustard in a bowl. Whisk in vinegar until well combined. Gradually whisk in oil, beating until thick. Stir in lemon juice., Pour dressing over spinach and toss well to coat. Sprinkle bacon over spinach and toss. Serve immediately.

PECAN SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, pecans, bacon and blue cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

SPINACH SALAD WITH PEACHES AND PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange pecans on a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, until they just begin to darken. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Peel peaches (if desired) and slice into bite-sized segments. Combine peaches, spinach and pecans in a large bowl. Toss with dressing until evenly coated, adding a little additional dressing, if necessary.