Eclectic Salad With Maple Ginger Walnuts
Toasted maple ginger walnuts add a new taste to the classic salad of lettuce and balsamic dressing.
Yield: 6 servingsDifficulty Rating: Easy
Nutritional Highlights: Walnuts provide heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Recipe Created By: Kristen Winston CateringRecipe From: Tennessee Home and Farm
Ingredients
Salad:
- ¾ pound mixed salad greens
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 red pear, cored and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins
- Maple Ginger Walnuts (see below)
Maple Ginger Walnuts:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups (about 1 pound) shelled walnuts
Tips & Notes
Prepare the Maple Ginger Walnuts ahead of time; they can be stored in an airtight container for one week. You can also save time by using store-bought balsamic vinaigrette.
Instructions
Maple Ginger Walnuts:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients except the walnuts in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat 3 minutes.
- Put the walnuts in a bowl and pour mixture over them, tossing to coat.
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread coated nuts on it. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The nuts should look toasted and be almost dry as you toss them.
- Slide the foil off the pan and let cool on a rack. Be careful because caramelized sugar is very hot.
- Let the nuts cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container for one week.
Salad:
- Toss greens with vinaigrette to coat.
- Divide among six plates. Arrange pear slices over greens. Sprinkle with blue cheese and dried cranberries. Top with Maple Ginger Walnuts.
Recipe From: Farm Flavor - www.farmflavor.com
http://farmflavor.com/eclectic-salad-with-maple-ginger-walnuts/
http://farmflavor.com/eclectic-salad-with-maple-ginger-walnuts/
