Spinach and Apple Salad with Dragon's Breath Cheese Vinaigrette
Chef Craig Stelmack makes Maple's outstanding spinach salad, crunchy with hot allspice-roasted walnuts, salty and smoky with strips of crisp bacon, sweet and fresh with apples, and dressed and garnished with really stinky blue cheese. It's an adult salad, but beware: it's addictive.
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
| Nutritional Info | |
| Per each of 8 servings: about | - |
| cal | 315 |
| pro | 9 g |
| total fat | 24 g |
| sat. fat | 5 g |
| carb | 19 g |
| fibre | 3 g |
| chol | 18 mg |
| sodium | 435 mg |
| % RDI: | - |
| calcium | 13% |
| iron | 14% |
| vit A | 28% |
| vit C | 20% |
| folate | 43% |
Suggested Recipes
-
6 slices lean smoky bacon
2 apples
1 pkg (10 oz/284 g) fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup (50 mL) crumbled blue cheese
Spiced Walnuts:
1 egg white
1/4 cup (50 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) ground allspice
1 tsp (5 mL) hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) walnut halves
Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup (125 mL) 10% cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) packed blue cheese
2 tbsp (25 mL) white_wine_vinegar
2 tbsp (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
Preparation:
Spiced Walnuts: In bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form. Whisk in sugar, allspice, hot pepper sauce and salt. Add nuts; toss to coat evenly.
Spread evenly on parchment paper-lined or greased rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven, stirring and separating twice, until butterscotch brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool; break into pieces, if desired. (Make-ahead: Store in loosely covered container for up to 2 days.)
Vinaigrette: In food processor or blender, whirl together cream, blue cheese, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days; rewhisk before using.)
Cut bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips. Fry in skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain and pat dry on paper towels. Core and dice 1 of the apples; core and thinly slice second apple.
In large bowl, toss together spinach, diced apple, bacon, 1 cup (250 mL) of the walnuts and vinaigrette. In same bowl or on salad plates, garnish with apple slices, remaining walnuts and crumbled cheese.
Additional Information
Tags:
Salads and Salad Dressings; Meat-Pork; Vegetables; Fruits; Nuts; Cheese/Other Dairy; Bake; Skillet; Make-Ahead;
Source
Canadian Living Magazine: April 2003
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