Apple Harvest Winter Salad with Glazed Pecans and Blue Cheese

Winter Salad 🥗

Overview:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories per Serving: 601.5

Description:

This Winter Salad is a delightful mix of flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion but particularly fitting for festive gatherings like Christmas or Thanksgiving. 🎄🦃 The name itself hints at the beautiful blend of reds and greens that make up this dish. If you can get your hands on some watercress, it’s a must—it truly elevates the salad. Plus, you can get ahead by preparing the glazed pecans and the dressing a day or two before, making the final assembly a breeze. 🌿🍎

Ingredients:

For Glazed Pecans:	For Dressing:	For Salad:
1 cup whole pecans	2 tbsp butter	1 head red leaf lettuce
4 tbsp butter	2 tbsp light corn syrup	1 head bibb lettuce
1/4 tsp salt	1/2 tsp salt	1 bunch watercress
	1/4 cup walnut oil	2 Red Delicious apples
	2 tbsp olive oil	3/4 cup dried cranberries
	2 tbsp cider vinegar	3/4 cup blue cheese
	2 shallots, minced	1/4 cup red onion
	1 tbsp lemon juice	1 cup pecans
	1 tbsp maple syrup
	Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Glazed Pecans:

Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Stir in the corn syrup and salt until well combined.
Add the whole pecans, stirring to coat them evenly in the mixture.
Spread the coated pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pecans are toasted and fragrant.
Remove from the oven and transfer to waxed paper to cool.
Once cooled, break the pecans into smaller pieces. You can store these in an airtight container until ready to use.

2. Salad Dressing:

In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the walnut oil, olive oil, cider vinegar, minced shallots, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined.
Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to assemble the salad.

3. Assembling the Salad:

Tear the red leaf lettuce and bibb lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
Wash and dry the watercress, then add it to the bowl with the torn lettuce.
Cut the Red Delicious apples into thin wedges, dipping them in lemon water or orange juice to prevent browning.
Add the apple wedges, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, red onion slices, and glazed pecans to the bowl.
Drizzle the salad dressing over the top.
Gently toss everything together until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.
Serve immediately and enjoy the festive flavors of this Winter Salad!

Tips:

For a crunchier texture, toast the pecans before adding them to the salad.
If watercress is not available, arugula makes a good substitute with its peppery flavor.
You can prepare the glazed pecans and dressing ahead of time, making this salad a great option for meal prep or potluck events.
To make it a heartier meal, add grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu on top.
This salad pairs wonderfully with a crusty baguette or warm rolls.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 601.5
Total Fat: 52.7g
- Saturated Fat: 11.6g
- Cholesterol: 33mg
- Sodium: 453.6mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 30.6g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.6g
- Sugars: 14.8g
- Protein: 8.1g