A WINTER SALAD - SPINACH, APPLE, GORGONZOLA & CANDIED WALNUTS

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A winter salad - spinach, apple, gorgonzola and candied walnuts. Baby spinach, red apple, creamy Gorgonzola cheese, and crunchy, sweet, and smoky candied walnuts are the main ingredients in this flavorful winter salad. With salty, streaky, smoked pancetta and tiny pomegranate seeds, this salad is guaranteed to keep the winter blues at bay.

Oh yes, Gorgonzola, the creamy, silky-smooth blue cheese.

The Essentials Of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan served as inspiration for the salad's dressing.

Anyone who enjoys Italian cuisine should immediately go out and buy this book if they don't already have it. When it comes to Italian cookery, it goes into such great depth and detail, and I will never let it go.

I'll be honest; this gorgonzola dressing does seem a little strange, but it tastes amazing!

And yes, this salad isn't Italian, but it's a delicious combination of flavors that I highly recommend you try this winter.

WHAT MAKES A PERFECT WINTER SALAD?

  • 7 oz (200g) spinach
  • 1 red delicious apple thinly sliced
  • 4.5 oz (130g) gorgonzola at room temperature
  • ½ pomegranate , arils removed
  • 5.2 oz (150g) streaky bacon or pancetta strips (2 slices per person)
  • 5 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup (80g) walnts halves
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 oz (30g) Butter
  • salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a small pan, combine the butter, sugar, paprika, chilli flakes, sugar, and walnut halves. Stir to coat the walnuts after a few minutes of letting the sugar and butter melt together. Watch that the sugar doesn't burn.
  2. In order to prevent them from sticking together, split the walnuts and immediately transfer them to a sheet of baking paper.
  3. Place the bacon or pancetta on a hot grill, cook until crisp on both sides, and then drain on paper towels.
  4. Put the olives, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a sizable mixing bowl to make the dressing. Blend everything together thoroughly. With a fork, mash the gorgonzola until it is combined with the remaining dressing after adding half of it (there will be some lumps, but don't be put off).
  5. Spinach should be added to the dressing and mixed until it is thoroughly covered.
  6. In serving bowls, divide the dressed spinach and sprinkle with equal parts of apple, gorgonzola, pomegranate, bacon, and walnuts. Serve after adding a few grinds of pepper on top.

TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THIS WINTER SALAD

  • The candied walnuts can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a tight container. Make extra for nibbling.
  • For easy blending with the other ingredients, remove the gorgonzola from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes (the longer the better) before creating the dressing.
  • If you prefer, you may blitz the dressing in a food processor or blender, so don't worry if it is lumpy.
  • As long as you choose a sweet apple rather than a tart one, any red apple will do. Green apples will also work nicely as an alternative.

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