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I developed this sweet and spicy salad to serve as a first course for a festive special occasion dinner. To save time, I make the Spicy Pecans well ahead of time and usually serve the extras with drinks or send my guests home with a small jar. Yield: 3-4 servings INGREDIENTS 6-8 slices of bacon 2 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and crushed 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2-3 dashes of Tabasco Salt & freshly ground pepper 6 oz. sweet baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried 1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced 4 oz. fresh, creamy goat's cheese, crumbled One cup (plus extra for topping) Spicy Pecans (recipe follows) 1. In a large heavy skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Place in medium-sized bowl lined with paper towels. Drain excess fat from frying pan and reserve. When the bacon cools, remove the paper towels and coarsely chop using the Toss & Chop. 2. Put 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings back in the skillet. Over medium heat sauté the crushed garlic but do not allow it to brown. Add olive oil and remove from heat. Whisk in balsamic vinegar, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste. 3. Right before serving, place spinach and red onion in a large bowl. Toss & Chop into bite sized pieces. Drizzle warm dressing on top, add the crumbled bacon and one cup of the spicy pecans. Continue tossing and chopping until all of the ingredients are mixed together. Divide onto serving plates and top with crumbled goat's cheese and a few chopped spicy pecans. Spicy Pecans Yield: 6 Cups 2 large egg whites 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt 1/4 cup of sugar 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne (red) pepper 6 cups of pecans halves 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1. Preheat oven to 300°. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with salt until foamy. Stir in the sugar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and cayenne. Fold in the pecans and melted butter and mix well. 3. Using a slotted spoon, spread the pecans evenly on lined baking sheet, discarding any sauce left in the bowl. Bake at 300° for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Store the pecans in an airtight container. |
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© 2008 Silvermark Creator of the toss & chop™ |