Apple Arugula Salad with White Balsamic Hazelnut Vinaigrette

This salad goes well with roasts, braises, or grilled dishes. The tart apple and mild spice of the arugula combine to give the salad backbone, and the nuts and cheese add a lushness to the salad that is complemented by the crispness of the apples, nuts, and arugula.

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

In a large non-reactive bowl, toss the arugula with just enough dressing to moisten the leaves and toss to coat. Divide equally between four chilled plates.

Add the apple matchsticks to the bowl and add just enough dressing to just coat the apples. Scatter the apples over the arugula.

Add the sprouts to the bowl and swish them around in any leftover dressing, using your fingers to fluff them up. Divide over the salads.

Scatter the salads with the hazelnuts, then the blue cheese crumbles. Lightly season with salt and pepper-depending on which blue cheese you use, you may want to skip the salt as they can be quite salty.

If you wish, drizzle the salads with a little extra dressing and serve right away.

Chef’s Notes:

This salad would be good with some frisée added to the mix. You could use different nuts and match the oil in the dressing to the nut you use. If you use walnuts or pecans you could use some regular balsamic vinegar in the dressing. In lieu of apple matchsticks, you can use a fine dice. If you wish to make the salad a little more substantial, use a creamy blue cheese such as Cambazola, Fourme d’Ambert, or Gorgonzola Dolce smeared onto 3 or 4 toasted ovals of baguette or whole rye.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen