Spinach Salad - by Rich Graiko -- Westbound Train

[Ms Minx]

Baby spinach salad with toasted almond vinaigrette;

Things you'll need:

1. A cup of toasted almond slices (if they’re not toasted already, just a couple minutes in the oven or toaster oven on 350 will do. Be careful not to burn them, a light golden brown is plenty.)
2. Two small roasted shallots (sautéed works too, just as long as they’re cooked until soft)
3. Small block of gorgonzola cheese
4. Two and a half cups of rice wine vinegar
5. two cups olive oil
6. One Bartlett pear (Bartlett pears are the hard brown ones)
7. two teaspoons brown sugar
8. A good size bag of pre-washed baby spinach
9. A blender

Make the salad:

1. Combine roasted shallots, brown sugar, a third of the cup toasted almonds, and all the rice vinegar in blender. Blend until liquefied.
2. Now blend on low and slowly pour the olive oil in the blender. If you don’t add it very slowly it will not blend so take your time on this step. If dressing is too thick, slowly add water until you get your desired consistency
3. Now toss spinach in dressing
4. Plate the spinach and sprinkle toasted almonds, gorgonzola, and fresh pair slices over the top in the culinary design of your liking. (I sometimes add a little Prosciutto if I’m feeling particularly gourmet.)
5. Serve your guests first and enjoy your salad

[Danse_Macabre]

::drool:: I probably should stop reading the recipes page when i'm hungry...

[BellezzaImpavida]

This sounds epic. Holy mother trucker.

[bacteriadance]

Holy cow, that sounds amazing!

[Gia the Punk Rock Chef]

Baby spinach salad with toasted almond vinaigrette;

Things you'll need:

1. A cup of toasted almond slices (if they’re not toasted already, just a couple minutes in the oven or toaster oven on 350 will do. Be careful not to burn them, a light golden brown is plenty.)
2. Two small roasted shallots (sautéed works too, just as long as they’re cooked until soft)
3. Small block of gorgonzola cheese
4. Two and a half cups of rice wine vinegar
5. two cups olive oil
6. One Bartlett pear (Bartlett pears are the hard brown ones)
7. two teaspoons brown sugar
8. A good size bag of pre-washed baby spinach
9. A blender

Make the salad:

1. Combine roasted shallots, brown sugar, a third of the cup toasted almonds, and all the rice vinegar in blender. Blend until liquefied.
2. Now blend on low and slowly pour the olive oil in the blender. If you don’t add it very slowly it will not blend so take your time on this step. If dressing is too thick, slowly add water until you get your desired consistency
3. Now toss spinach in dressing
4. Plate the spinach and sprinkle toasted almonds, gorgonzola, and fresh pair slices over the top in the culinary design of your liking. (I sometimes add a little Prosciutto if I’m feeling particularly gourmet.)
5. Serve your guests first and enjoy your salad

Anyone wanting to make this a vegan salad can either buy sunergia's Soy Bleu or other vegan bleu cheeses, use this recipe I found here or just omit completely. I also think the addition of dried cranberries would be pretty bombastic. You could also sub peaches if the pears are too difficult for some of you to find. Also if you want to lower the glycemic index of the brown sugar try maple syrup. This salad looks pretty awesome as is though. Thanks Ms.Minx!!


1 pkg extra-firm SILKEN tofu, pressed and dry
2 tablespoons tahini
3 cubes of white Chinese fermented bean curd
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place tofu in a clean cotton cloth or fine cheesecloth, gather the ends up and twist and squeeze for a couple of minutes to extract most of the water.

Place everything in a food processor and process for several minutes, or until the mixture is VERY smooth. (You may have to stop the machine and loosen the mixture with a spatula once or twice.) Scrape into a covered container and refrigerate until it is firm, at least 3 hours.