Spinach Salad with Bosc Pears, Cranberries, Red Onion, and Toasted Hazelnuts

Name: Spinach Salad with Bosc Pears, Cranberries, Red Onion, and Toasted Hazelnuts
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 liters lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves, stemmed if needed; 2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar; 2 firm but ripe Bosc pears (do not peel), quartered lengthwise, cored, and cut into long, thin slices; 158 milliliters hazelnuts, toasted (see Cooks Notes) and chopped; 118 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 8 servings Freshly ground pepper; 237 milliliters thinly sliced red onion; 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 79 milliliters sweetened dried cranberries; 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

Spinach Salad with Bosc Pears, Cranberries, Red Onion, and Toasted Hazelnuts might be just the side dish you are searching for. Watching your figure? This gluten free and vegan recipe has 237 calories, 3g of protein, and 20g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 8. This recipe covers 14% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Christmas. Head to the store and pick up sugar, balsamic vinegar, but bosc pears, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 45 minutes. Baby Spinach Salad with Pears, Red Onions, Cranberries and Toasted Hazelnuts, Fennel and Orange Salad With Toasted Hazelnuts and Cranberries, and Spinach Pomegranate Salad With Pears and Hazelnuts are very similar to this recipe.

Instructions

To make the dressing, in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Seasoning

Mustard

Vinegar

Pepper

Shake

Sugar

Salt

Place the onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water.

Ingredients you will need

Onion

Water

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Let stand for 30 minutes. This crisps the onion and takes away the raw onion taste.

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Chips

Onion

Drain well and pat dry on paper towels.

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Paper Towels

In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 2 tablespoons of the dressing to soften them. Set aside for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve the salad.

Ingredients you will need

Cranberries

Equipment you will use

Bowl

To assemble the salad, place the spinach, onions, and pears in a large bowl. Give the remaining dressing a last-minute shake and pour over the salad. Toss to coat evenly. Arrange the salad in a large serving bowl or divide it evenly among 8 salad plates. Scatter the cranberries and hazelnuts over the top(s).

Ingredients you will need

Cranberries

Hazelnuts

Spinach

Onion

Pear

Shake

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Bowl

Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Try to buy shelled hazelnuts (also called filberts) with the brown, papery skins removed as well. To toast, spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 375°F oven. Toast for about 12 minutes until lightly browned. If the nuts still have the skins on, transfer them while they’re hot to a clean kitchen towel. (Use a clean towel that is old or you don’t mind washing with bleach, because the skins tend to discolor the fabric.) Rub the nuts to remove most of the skins (they never come completely off).

Ingredients you will need

Hazelnuts

Spread

Toast

Nuts

Dry Seasoning Rub

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Towels

Baking Sheet

Oven

You can substitute unsalted cashews for the hazelnuts. Toast cashews, as directed above for hazelnuts, for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Ingredients you will need

Hazelnuts

Cashews

Toast

Do Ahead

The dressing can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered tightly, and refrigerated.

Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. The nuts can be toasted up to 1 day in advance; store at room temperature in an airtight container. The onions and cranberries can be prepared up to up to 4 hours in advance. Set aside at room temperature.

Ingredients you will need

Cranberries

Onion

Nuts

Reprinted with permission from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan, (C) October 2009, Chronicle Books