Holiday Salad with Candied Hazelnuts and Cranberry Vinaigrette

Serves

All decked out in red and green, here's a perfect salad for holiday celebrations, with sugared hazelnuts in lieu of sugar plums.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cranberry juice
2 tablespoons jellied cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (about 1/2 orange)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup whole hazelnuts (skinned)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
  pinch salt
1 large egg white (lightly whisked with a fork)
4 ounces Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix
1/4 cup Earthbound Farm Organic Dried Cranberries
1/4 cup candied hazelnuts
1 small Earthbound Farm Organic Gala or Fuji apple (diced)
1/2 cup crumbled Stilton cheese

Directions

To make the vinaigrette: Combine the cranberry juice and sauce in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture reduces to 3 tablespoons. Combine the remaining vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar and add the reduced cranberry juice. Shake vigorously to combine.

To make the candied nuts: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Combine the hazelnuts, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add the egg white and stir to dissolve the sugar and coat the nuts. Transfer to a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the nuts turn golden brown. Remove the tray from the oven; with a fork, pull nuts to the edges of the pan, away from the pooled syrup. When cool, chop the nuts roughly and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To assemble the salad: Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Divide between 4 salad plates and garnish each serving with a sprinkling of cranberries, hazelnuts, apple and cheese. Serve immediately.