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gorgonzola apple salad

Blue Cheese Apple Walnut Salad

Equipment

  • 1 non-stick skillet
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 large cutting board
  • 1 chef's knife
  • 1 salad spinner (or colander and large bowl)
  • mixing bowls
  • mixing spoons

Ingredients

Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (or neutral flavor oil)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme,
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice (about 2 tablespoons of juice)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 cup greens (butter/bibb/boston greens, mixed spring greens, spinach, or romaine)
  • ½ apple, diced (honeycrisp, granny smith, or golden delicious; makes about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2-3 strawberries, halved and sliced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons blue cheese, gorgonzola, feta, or shredded mozzarella
  • ¼ cup cinnamon toasted walnuts and croutons (get recipe HERE)
  • 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds, shells removed
  • drizzle of lemon thyme vinaigrette

Instructions

Making Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

  • Place a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil.
  • Rinse a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Remove leaves from hard woody stems. Finely chop leaves and add to the shimmering oil. Stir occasionally.
  • Rinse lemon. Zest the lemon. Toss the zest in the oil.
  • Let oil with thyme and lemon zest simmer on low for about 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
  • Meanwhile, cut lemon in half and squeeze out juice from both halves into a small bowl. Discard the seeds.
  • Add honey and vinegar. Whisk together.
  • Let the thyme and lemon zest infused oil cool for a few minutes. Then add to honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Whisk together until well combined.

Preparing Fruit and Veggies

  • Set out large cutting board with a chef's knife.
    Rinse apple, celery, strawberries, and greens.
  • Cut apple in half. Dice one half.
    Slice stalk of celery.
    Cut off strawberry tops, then slice in half. Cut each half into slices.
  • Note: If greens are small just add them to the bowl to eat. Otherwise, give them a chop to bite size.

Assembling the Blue Cheese Apple Walnut Salad

  • Spread out greens to cover the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add celery, apples, strawberries, and cheese.
  • Add walnuts, croutons, cranberries, and sunflower seeds.
  • Drizzle with lemon thyme vinaigrette.
  • Toss to mix all ingredients and Enjoy!
Author: Bryan Matthews
Course: Appetizer, lunch, Salad, sides, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apples, blue cheese, butter lettuce, cinnamon, gorgonzola, lemon, thyme, walnuts