Endive and Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts
In this pretty winter salad, candied walnuts and sweet apples are the perfect partners for Belgian endive, a crisp winter green with a slightly bitter flavor. If your blue cheese is firm rather than crumbly, you can cut into small, thin wedges instead of crumbling it, if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) walnuts
- 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) sugar
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbs. champagne vinegar
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 heads Belgian endive, preferably a mix of white and red
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
- Leaves from 4 fresh tarragon sprigs
- 1/3 cup (2 oz./60 g) crumbled blue cheese
Directions
To make the candied walnuts, in a sauté pan over medium heat, combine the walnuts, sugar and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the walnuts smell toasty and are coated in the sugar and butter, about 5 minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a plate and set aside to cool.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Trim the stem end from each head of endive and separate the leaves. (If the leaves are large, you can cut them in half crosswise.) In a large bowl, combine the endive, apple slices and tarragon leaves. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and sprinkle with the candied walnuts and blue cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen