Spinach Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette, Walnut Praline And Blue Cheese

Spinach Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette,

Walnut Praline, And Blue Cheese

I buy an extra bag or two of cranberries when they are in season for my freezer to have on hand for use in recipes throughout the year.

Ingredients:

Spicy Walnut Praline:

1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, finely chopped 

1 tsp.. salt 
1/4 tsp.. cayenne or to taste 
1/2 cup sugar 
2 - 6 oz.. bags baby spinach 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup Danish blue cheese, crumbled 
Cranberry Vinaigrette: 
1/2 cup fresh cranberries 
3 T.. raspberry vinegar 
1 clove garlic, peeled 
1 tsp.. minced shallots 
1/2 tsp.. Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup Cranberry juice cocktail 
3 T. walnut or olive oil 
1 T. honey 
3 leaves fresh mint 
1/3 cup vegetable oil 
Salt to taste 
Directions:

For Walnut Praline, toss together walnuts, salt and cayenne. In a dry  small heavy nonstick skillet cook sugar over medium heat , without stirring, swirling pan until golden. Add walnut mixture and stir to coat nuts with caramel. Spoon praline onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cool. When cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop. Keeps 3 days.

For vinaigrette, place cranberries, vinegar, garlic, shallots and mustard in food processor blender and pulse several times to coarsely chop. Add the cranberry juice, walnut or olive oil, honey and mint; blend until thin and smooth. With machine running slowly all vegetable oil in a steady thin stream and blend to form a slightly thickened and emulsified dressing. Season with salt.. 

Place spinach and dried cranberries in a large salad bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat th e leaves well. Divide salad among serving plates and sprinkle with walnuts and blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 8