Recipe: Spinach and Strawberry Salad
I improvised this salad for the ATV weekend/family reunion in Wisconsin. Lots of people liked it, so I thought I'd better write down something recipe-ish before I forget what I did.
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Makes enough to fill up two large salad bowls. Leftovers do not keep well. Although this will still be tasty the next day, the salad will be quite limp.
Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 c. vegetable oil or canola oil
1/4 c. raspberry-flavored white wine vinegar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. Penzey's Raspberry Enlightenment (or raspberry jam)
Candied Walnuts:
1/4 c. butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. chopped walnuts (about 2 small bags)
pinch of salt
Salad Ingredients:
2 bunches spinach
2 small heads romaine lettuce (volume should be about equal to the spinach)
1 1/2 boxes ripe strawberries
Dressing:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Candied Walnuts:
Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.
Heat skillet over high heat.
Melt butter. Add sugar and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is bubbling vigorously.
Add walnuts. Continue stirring constantly for five minutes.
Pour half of mixture onto cookie sheet. Immediately, working as fast as possible, separate walnuts as much as possible. Repeat with second half of mixture on second cookie sheet.
Let cool for ten minutes.
Using your hands, break walnut clumps apart.
Salad:
Rinse and dry spinach. Discard bad leaves. Chop off stems and discard. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Put in salad bowls.
Rinse and dry lettuce. Chop into bite sized pieces. Add to salad bowls.
Slice strawberries. Reserve 1/2 cup. Put the rest in the salad bowls.
Add walnuts or put aside for people to add on their own if allergies are a concern.
Use tongs to combine salad bowl contents. Try to keep all the strawberries from falling to the bottom.
Wait until 5 minutes before serving time, then add salad dressing to taste (there will be salad dressing left over). Use tongs to combine salad bowl contents again.
Get reserved strawberries and place on top of the salad.
Eat and enjoy! Bonus points if you remember to photograph it first.
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Makes enough to fill up two large salad bowls. Leftovers do not keep well. Although this will still be tasty the next day, the salad will be quite limp.
Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 c. vegetable oil or canola oil
1/4 c. raspberry-flavored white wine vinegar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. Penzey's Raspberry Enlightenment (or raspberry jam)
Candied Walnuts:
1/4 c. butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. chopped walnuts (about 2 small bags)
pinch of salt
Salad Ingredients:
2 bunches spinach
2 small heads romaine lettuce (volume should be about equal to the spinach)
1 1/2 boxes ripe strawberries
Dressing:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Candied Walnuts:
Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.
Heat skillet over high heat.
Melt butter. Add sugar and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is bubbling vigorously.
Add walnuts. Continue stirring constantly for five minutes.
Pour half of mixture onto cookie sheet. Immediately, working as fast as possible, separate walnuts as much as possible. Repeat with second half of mixture on second cookie sheet.
Let cool for ten minutes.
Using your hands, break walnut clumps apart.
Salad:
Rinse and dry spinach. Discard bad leaves. Chop off stems and discard. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Put in salad bowls.
Rinse and dry lettuce. Chop into bite sized pieces. Add to salad bowls.
Slice strawberries. Reserve 1/2 cup. Put the rest in the salad bowls.
Add walnuts or put aside for people to add on their own if allergies are a concern.
Use tongs to combine salad bowl contents. Try to keep all the strawberries from falling to the bottom.
Wait until 5 minutes before serving time, then add salad dressing to taste (there will be salad dressing left over). Use tongs to combine salad bowl contents again.
Get reserved strawberries and place on top of the salad.
Eat and enjoy! Bonus points if you remember to photograph it first.