For today’s holiday-survival recipe, I’m sharing one of my favorite dishes from KEEPERS, a simple green salad that makes a terrific side dish for dinner, but can also be eaten for lunch all on its own, or made into a main dish with the addition of something like leftover roasted chicken or a big spoonful of warm grains (I’m partial to farro or barley in this). The maple-syrup walnuts are also wonderful on so many things, or eaten right out of the skillet. Enjoy!
RED LEAF LETTUCE WITH MAPLE WALNUTS AND BLUE CHEESE
SERVES 4 TO 6
Composed of a mustard-maple-shallot dressing; buttery red leaf lettuce; sweet, crunchy walnuts; and salty, creamy blue cheese, this salad makes a great lunch or light dinner. You can also round out the meal with some good olives, salumi, and bread. Sometimes we like to stir the blue cheese directly into the dressing, which makes it creamier.
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus 1 teaspoon
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 shallot, minced
Salt and pepper
1 head of red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
–Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and 1 tablespoon maple syrup and cook, stirring often, until the nuts are toasted and the syrup is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the maple walnuts to a cutting board, let cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.
– In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, remaining 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and shallots, then season with salt and pepper. (Or, in a jar with a lid, combine the ingredients, cover, then shake vigorously.) Check the seasonings. Quickly dip a piece of lettuce in the dressing, shake off any excess, and check the seasonings again.
– In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce and enough dressing to lightly coat. Divide the salad among plates, top with the cheese and maple walnuts, and serve.
