Recipe: Walnut-bleu date vinaigrette salad

Add a twist to your meals this autumn with the addition of the seasonal speciality: nuts and dates. Combine with a little blue cheese and you have a delicious combination of flavours that works every single time. Try this recipe for a walnut-bleu date vinaigrette salad that is simply wonderful.

Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients - Sesame date vinaigrette:

  • 6 pitted dates
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse Dijon mustard
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper

Ingredients - Salad topping:

  • 6 dates, finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup chopped walnut halves 
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Ingredients - Salad:

  • 6 cups mixed salad greens with radicchio and romaine
  • 1 cup halved yellow cherub tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup crisp Asian pear, peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 ounces chopped bleu cheese

Directions:

Vinaigrette:

  1. Place dates, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in the bowl of a small food processor and puree until smooth.
  2. Chill while preparing the salad.

Topping:

  1. Combine dates, walnuts, honey, brown sugar and salt in a medium skillet.
  2. Cook over medium-high heat until nuts are toasted and mixture is sticky.
  3. Transfer to a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread out to cool.

Salad:

  1. Divide salad greens among 4 small plates.
  2. Top with tomatoes and pears.
  3. Divide bleu cheese crumbled over the top of each salad.
  4. Top each with cooled topping mixture.
  5. Drizzle salads with sesame date vinaigrette.