Spinach Bacon And Goat Cheese Salad With Pecans Food

SPINACH SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES, PECANS, BACON, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fry chopped bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined 1/4-sheet tray to drain.
• Toast pecans in the oven on a 1/4-sheet tray until lightly golden and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
• In a medium bowl mash the blue cheese with a fork. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Combine baby spinach, red onion, pecans, dried cranberries and bacon in large bowl. Toss with the dressing immediately before serving.

WARM SPINACH SALAD W. BACON PECAN DRESSING & GOATS CHEESE

Steps:

• In a sauté pan, cook the bacon until crispy, remove and keep aside.
• In the bacon fat, sauté the onions for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl, bacon fat and all.
• To the bowl add the crispy bacon, pecans, tablespoon of garlic and vinegar.
• Season with salt and black pepper.
• In another bowl, combine the cheese, sour cream, teaspoon of garlic and leeks together, and season the mix with salt and pepper.
• Form the mixture into small cakes (about 1oz in size)& dredge them in the flour.
• Dip the cakes in the egg wash, removing any excess.
• Dredge in the bread crumbs, coating each side completely.
• In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil.
• Pan-fry each cake for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and heated all the way through.
• Remove and drain on a paper-lined plate.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss the spinach with the dressing.
• Arrange the cakes around the greens.
• Serve warm with freshly ground black pepper.

GINA'S SPINACH SALAD WITH SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Pecans: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in all the spices and the pecans. Stir and toast the pecans for about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
• Salad: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, shallots, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil in a continuous stream, whisking to emulsify. Season with a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add the spinach to a large serving bowl. Toss the greens with the prepared dressing, the bacon, blue cheese, cherry tomatoes and spiced pecans.

SPINACH, BACON, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat from skillet, discarding remainder. Crumble bacon.
• Toast pecans in 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until 1 shade darker, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Season nuts with salt and pepper and coarsely chop.
• Heat reserved fat in a saucepan over moderately low heat until just warm. Remove pan from heat, then whisk in vinegar and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
• Toss bacon, spinach, cheese, and half of nuts with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle salad with remaining nuts.

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH ROASTED RED ONIONS, PECANS, DRIED CRANBERRIES, CRUMBLED GOAT CHEESE AND CITRUS DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the onion into thin wedges, through the root end. Toss with the olive oil, season with salt, to taste, and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast until just soft and brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the spinach and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss. Add more dressing as needed; spinach should just be lightly coated. Divide salad among 4 chilled plates. Top with pecans, goat cheese, and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.
• Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon, honey, thyme, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing.

GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Several hours before serving, remove the Bucheron from the refrigerator (it should be very cold); pull off the skin that encircles the cheese.
• With a sharp knife, cut the Bucheron into 6 thin slices and place on a large plate.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until ready to assemble the salad. (If the edges crumble a bit, don't worry--put the crumbled cheese aside with the slices.).
• Wash the spinach in a sink filled with cold water, pulling the stems off the leaves.
• Drain in a colander and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Tear the leaves into pieces and set aside in a salad bowl.
• Combine the shallot, mustard, basil, sugar, salt, pepper to taste, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl and reserve.
• When ready to serve, toss the spinach with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette--enough to barely coat the leaves.
• Arrange the spinach on 6 salad plates and arrange a slice of cheese on top of each bed of spinach.
• In a small saucepan, warm the remaining vinaigrette over moderate heat.
• As it comes just to a simmer, drizzle it in equal portions over the cheese and spinach.
• Serve immediately.

SPINACH, TOFFEE PECAN AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F
• Place pecans, touching each other, on prepared baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Set pan aside, leaving pecans on pan.
• Meanwhile, stir sugar and water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mixture is a deep golden color. Drizzle syrup mixture over pecans. Let stand for about 20 minutes or until cooled completely and brittle; coarsely chop.
• Maple Vinaigrette: Shake olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and salt in a jar until well combined.
• Toss toffee pecan, spinach, cheese and cranberries in large serving bowl. Drizzle with Maple Vinaigrette and toss.

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.