Spinach Salad With Caramelized Almonds Food

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.

SPINACH SALAD WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a small heavy skillet, melt sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add almonds; stir to coat. Spread on foil to cool; break apart. In a salad bowl, gently toss the spinach and raspberries., In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad. Sprinkle with sugared almonds; toss to coat.

WILTED SPINACH AND ALMOND SALAD

Steps:

• Place spinach in a large serving bowl.
• Heat canola oil, sesame oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt in a skillet; bring to a boil. Pour hot dressing over spinach. Toss immediately to coat all the leaves with hot dressing. wilting the spinach.
• Cook and stir onion in the same skillet; coat onion with any remaining dressing in the skillet.
• Divide wilted spinach among 4 plates; sprinkle each with hard-boiled egg, onion, and toasted almonds. Season with black pepper.

JAMIE'S CRANBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.
• In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.

SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH SLICED APPLES AND SPICED CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Cut the apple into quarters, remove the stem and the seeds, and cut into very thin slices. Sprinkle lemon juice over the slices and set aside.
• When ready to serve, in a salad bowl, combine the apple, spinach, radicchio, and blue cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
• To serve, divide the salad among 4 plates and sprinkle the pecans around each salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars, and then the olive and vegetable oils. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Adventures in the Kitchen", Random House, 1991
• In a deep-fryer or a deep pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. (A deep-frying thermometer can be clipped to the side of the pan so that you can tell when the proper temperature has been reached).
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pecans and boil for 2 minutes. Drain in a large strainer, shaking off all excess water. Sprinkle the salt and cayenne pepper over the nuts and then coat with the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, allowing the sugar to melt into the pecans. Toss the nuts by shaking the strainer, adding a little more sugar each time, until all the sugar is used and all the nuts are coated. Do not use hands or a spoon to toss. The nuts should have a glaze of sugar.
• Carefully add the nuts to the heated oil, keeping the oil at 350 degrees F. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking tray to cool.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Pizza, Pasta & More!," Random House, 2000

WARM SPINACH SALAD W/ CARAMELIZED ONION, MUSHROOM, FETA AND NUTS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a deep frying pan or pot that will eventually be able to handle all the spinach being tossed around in it.
• Toss in the onions and mushrooms and turn down the heat to medium low / low medium. Allow onions and mushrooms to caramelize for approx 30 minutes until onions are soft, transparent and golden stirring occasionally. This is a prime time to get the main course a cookin! These onions can be made well in advance and then reheated for just the moment you want to serve the salad. If the onions start to dry out with the amount of butter used add a little more. 4 Tbsp Butter worked out for me at the heat I caramelized the onions on.
• Stir in the squirt of anchovy paste (optional), pine nuts (or nut of choice) and the crumbled feta a little sea salt and black pepper for taste with the caramelized onions and mushrooms. Once these are somewhat warm and melted, carefully fold in the spinach leaves until they're all coated, making sure not to cook too long. We don't want them soggy or wilted, just coated and warm. Serve immediately and enjoy!

SIMPLE SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Add dressing ingredients to a medium bowl. Whisk to emulsify.
• Add spinach to a large bowl.
• Toss with the salad dressing.
• Top with toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan cheese. Season with extra black pepper, if desired.

CARAMELIZED PEAR AND TOASTED ALMOND SALAD

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in a small saucepan and place in a bowl.
• Mix the water and sugar in the same saucepan and bring to a near-boil.
• Adjust water, sugar, and temperature as needed.
• Place the pears in the mixture until cooked thoroughly and place in another bowl.
• Mix the vinegar, salt, Dijon mustard, oil, and pepper in another bowl with a fork or in a blender.
• Wash and spin the baby spinach.
• Toss the pears, dressing, almonds, and spinach and serve.

BEST SPINACH FRUIT SALAD (W/GLAZED ALMONDS)

Steps:

• Salad & Fruit: Layer salad ingredients onto salad plates, top with cooled Glazed Almonds and serve optionally with Best Raspberry Dressing (Vinaigrette).
• Glazed Almonds: Heat a heavy skillet on high heat, add almonds and sprinkle generously with sugar, stirring until sugar melts.
• Caution: The molten sugar is very HOT. Transfer nuts to cool completely on a plate.
• Break up into pieces.

SPINACH SALAD WITH PEARS, ALMONDS AND CRANBERRIES WW 4 PTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, oil, mustard, syrup, shallots, salt and pepper until blended; pour 1/4 cup dressing into a large bowl.
• Add spinach and toss until coated.
• Arrange 2 cups of dressed spinach on each of 4 salad plates.
• Top each with 3 pear slices and then sprinkle each with 1-1/2 tablespoons almonds and 1 tablespoons of dried cranberries.
• Drizzle each salad with about 1 tablespoons of remaining dressing and serve.

CARAMELIZED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
• Place sliced almonds and granulated sugar in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes. (I like using a heat proof rubber spatula.)
• Remove pan from heat once the almonds are toasted and sugar has melted and sticks to the almonds.
• Pour the nuts onto the parchment paper and quickly spread out as much as possible using a spatula or some forks.
• Let nuts cool completely and then break into clusters if stuck together.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1-2 weeks. Snack on or use on salads or yogurt.

SPINACH SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Toss all above ingredients in a large salad bowl. Top with dressing, JUST BEFORE serving, and toss. Dressing: Fry bacon till crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings, or more if desired. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white sugar and a pinch of dry mustard. Stir into drippings. Gradually stir in 1 cup of sour cream (I use light) and 1/3 cup of mayo (I use Miracle Whip). Cover and chill for at least one hour. Caramelized almonds: In frying pan on med. heat, put 1/2 cup of sliced almonds, and approx. 2-3 tablespoons of white sugar. Stir continually until sugar is melted and the almonds have turned a wonderful caramel color. Remove to a plate to cool. Break in to pieces if stuck together, and toss with salad. I usually save out a bit of extra almonds and grated mozza to add to the top, too just before serving. Dressing option: Poppyseed dressing is absolutely wonderful with this salad, too

SPINACH, ORANGE, AND ALMOND SALAD

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 10-inch square of aluminum foil with butter or vegetable oil and set aside.
• Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the sugar turns a golden amber color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the almonds and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the almonds are fragrant and golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to the prepared aluminum foil, using a spoon to spread into a thin layer, and set aside to cool completely.
• With a thin, sharp knife, cut the peel and bitter white pith from the oranges, 1 at a time. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, cut in between the membranes to release the segments. Reserve the segments in a separate bowl. Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the Champagne vinegar, olive oil, orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Transfer the dressing to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid until you are ready to serve.
• Put the spinach in a large serving bowl, then top with the orange segments, celery, and red onions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, break the caramelized almonds into bite-size pieces and scatter over the top of the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.
• Lightly grease a 10-inch square of aluminum foil with butter or vegetable oil and set aside.
• Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the sugar turns a golden amber color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the almonds and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the almonds are fragrant and golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to the prepared aluminum foil, using a spoon to spread into a thin layer, and set aside to cool completely.
• With a thin, sharp knife, cut the peel and bitter white pith from the oranges, 1 at a time. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, cut in between the membranes to release the segments. Reserve the segments in a separate bowl. Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the Champagne vinegar, olive oil, orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Transfer the dressing to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid until you are ready to serve.
• Put the spinach in a large serving bowl, then top with the orange segments, celery, and red onions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, break the caramelized almonds into bite-size pieces and scatter over the top of the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.