Spinach Pear Salad

Name: Spinach Pear Salad
Ingredients: 0.5 pound smokey slab bacon, sliced (about twelve ¼-inch-thick slices); 12 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, washed well, dried, stems trimmed, and torn into pieces if leaves are large; 6 cups loosely packed frisee, stems trimmed, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces; 0.667 cup thinly sliced red onions; 3 small pears, halved, cored, and thinly sliced; 6 small bunches grapes; 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons honey; 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper; 0.5 cup vegetable oil or peanut oil; 0.75 cup cashews (about 3 ounces); 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon curry powder; 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar; 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt; 0.5 teaspoon cayenne

4.2

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By

Martha Stewart Test Kitchen

Updated on September 28, 2016

Servings:

6

This recipe for spinach pear salad comes from "Seattle Kitchen" by Tom Douglas.

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

½ pound smokey slab bacon, sliced (about twelve ¼-inch-thick slices)
12 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, washed well, dried, stems trimmed, and torn into pieces if leaves are large
6 cups loosely packed frisee, stems trimmed, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
⅔ cup thinly sliced red onions
3 small pears, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
6 small bunches grapes

FOR THE HONEY-SESAME VINAIGRETTE

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup vegetable oil or peanut oil

FOR THE CURRIED CASHEWS

¾ cup cashews (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon cayenne

Directions

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, sesame seeds, garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set aside.
To make the curried cashews, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast the cashews until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the melted butter, rosemary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne in a bowl. Add the toasted cashews while they are still hot and toss with a rubber spatula so they are thoroughly coated with the spices and butter. Leave the oven on to cook the bacon.
Put the bacon on a baking sheet, place it in the oven, and cook until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and cut the slices into 1-inch pieces. Keep the bacon warm.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, frisee, red onions, and sliced pears. Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat everything well. Divide the salad among 6 plates. Garnish each salad with pieces of warm bacon and spiced cashews. Set a grape cluster on the side of each salad.