Spinach Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, Pecans, and Cranberries
Gina: Ours is a spinach salad with some serious attitude. In addition to the bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing, we add sweetened pecans and tart dried cranberries, and the overall effect is to give this salad a festive feel. It’s a great dinner party starter, and it’s especially good partnered with a fat grilled steak. The spiced pecans are good enough to eat on their own as a snack, but try to save them for the salad! And even though we call for dried cranberries, you can substitute a variety of dried fruit, including dried cherries or golden raisins.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Creamy blue-cheese Dressing
Salad
Spiced Pecans
Preparation
Step 1
Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chopped bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, and set aside to cool.
Step 2
To make the dressing, use a fork to mash the blue cheese in a medium bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3
Combine the baby spinach, red onion, dried cranberries, bacon, and spiced pecans in a large bowl. Toss the salad with the creamy blue-cheese dressing just before serving.
Spiced Pecans
Step 4
Place a 12-inch square of foil on a baking sheet, and spray the foil with nonstick vegetable spray. Heat the brown sugar, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture bubbles. Add the pecans and the cayenne, and stir until the nuts are well coated. Transfer the nuts to the foil, spreading them out, and allow them to cool completely (they will harden and dry).
