Okay, it’s the weekend; it’s time to spin down, chill out, and maybe catch a nap. Yesterday, I had a wonderful splurge meal to celebrate a professional accreditation, and it was delicious but just a bit heavy. Perhaps a bit lighter fare is in order.
I’m thinking of a salad similar to one I had in London in September: crisp greens, crisp/tart/sweet apple, bits of dried fruit, bits of toasted nuts, dressed in a vinaigrette.
It’s fall, and apples abound; the nearby orchard is overflowing, so perhaps we will start with apples, now as a perfect counterpoint to the sweet/tart crisp crunch of the apples, a bit of funk in the person of cheese, but not any cheddar or mozzarella, I want a seriously funky cheese, so I’ll go straight to Stilton.
There are many ways to play the dressing; I’ll start with my basic balsamic but provide some roguechef twists and suggested pairings.
Slice apples and add to the greens. (Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the apples if you make the salad in advance.)
Add raisins
Chop and add pecans to the salad.
Crumble the blue cheese over the pecans.
Drizzle with dressing.
Toss well and serve.
Notes
Use small or medium apples for the best texture. I like to use Honeycrisp or Jazz.Slice the apples into thin wedges.Toast the pecans and chop them into varying sizes.If possible, buy good-quality blue cheese in a wedge so that you can control the size of the crumbles. I use Stilton for this recipe, but there are many good blue cheeses out there that will work well.Use wild, baby, or spring mix arugula, which can be easily found at most grocery stores.
Add all to a cocktail shaker and shake until well blended
Notes
I use the phrase “Good Stuff” Several times in this recipe. The quality of the ingredients will impact the taste. One does not often prepare this dish, so the splurge is worth it.Some basic variationsFor an Asian twist, balance the garlic with grated ginger.For a mind-blowing experience, replace the garlic with grated horseradish.Sub the honey for good quality Maple Syrup.Balsamic vinegar makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches.Red wine vinegar packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, feta and more.White wine vinegar is a more mellow vinegar, and it’s especially nice with more delicate flavors like spring greens, cucumber, zucchini, and sweet corn. It’s lovely on just about every green salad out there.Champagne vinegar is even more mild than white wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is sweet and tangy and tastes lightly like apples. Sherry vinegar is similar to red wine vinegar but slightly less intense.
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