Author Notes
A salad of contrasts - sweet-tart ruby red grapefruit, tangy mild blue cheese, crisp candied walnuts, bitter watercress or arugula, accessorized —NotesOnDinner
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Ingredients
- The Salad
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2
bunches of watercress
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1 piece
blue castello or other mild creamy blue cheese
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1/2 cup
candied walnuts
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2
pink grapefruits
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1 tablespoon
currants
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1
shallot, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons
champagne vinegar
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1 teaspoon
red vinegar
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6 tablespoons
olive oil
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sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Candied Walnuts
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1 cup
walnut pieces (mostly halves)
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2 tablespoons
maple syrup
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1 tablespoon
sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher sea salt
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1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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1 pinch
cayenne
Directions
- The Salad
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Combine 1 tbsp hot water and red vinegar in a very small bowl with 1 tbsp currants.
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In another very small bowl, toss champagne vinegar with the sliced shallot.
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Wash and dry the leaves of watercress and mound on a large platter.
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Cut the Blue Castello into small pieces, removing any rind, and strew over leaves.
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With a very sharp knife cut the top and bottom off the grapefruit. Cut off all the rind and pith. Over a medium sized bowl, carefully slice between the membranes to remove the fruit in sections, catching any juice and the fruit in the bowl.
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Arrange the sectioned grapefruit over the salad.
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Toss the walnuts over the top.
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Lift the shallots out of the vinegar carefully, reserving the vinegar for the dressing. Pulling the rings apart, scatter the shallots over the salad.
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Drain the currants, and toss over the salad.
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Add 1-2 tbsp grapefruit juice to the small bowl with the champagne vinegar. Whisk in olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and a few grindings black pepper. Dress the salad - you may not need all the dressing.
- Candied Walnuts
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Preheat the oven to 325.
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Toss all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
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Lightly spray a rimmed cookie sheet with vegetable oil.
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Spread the coated nuts over the cookie sheet.
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Toast for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
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Remove from oven and cool stirring every few minutes so they don't stick too badly to the pan.
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