FARM-TO-FORK
MIXED GREENS SALAD WITH
SPICED PECANS, CHEVRE AND
HOT APPLE CIDER DRESSING
Borrowed from Cold-Weather Cooking
Makes enough for 8 to 10 side salads
SPICED PECANS
2 cups pecan halves
nutmeg, cloves, ginger and mustard
in a medium size bowl. Remove nuts
and turn oven up to 350F. Add hot
nuts into spice mixture and toss to coat
thoroughly. Spread nuts into a single
layer on baking sheet and roast 15 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight
container for up to 2 weeks.
2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
Photo: Perennial Virant
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(A local gem: Get your spices at The Spice
House in Evanston. I love Saigon Cinnamon, nicely balanced spicy and fruity.)
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Place the nuts
in a small bowl, cover with boiling
water and let soak for 15 minutes.
Drain well and pat dry on paper towels. Pre-heat oven to 300F. Spread nuts
on an ungreased baking sheet and
toast stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. While nuts are baking, prepare
the sugar and spice mixture. Whisk
vegetable oil, sugar, salt, cinnamon,
TO PREPARE THE PECANS:
For those of you who need a break from
lighting up those burners in your kitchen,
here are a few of my favorite downtown
restaurants that source locally and support
sustained agriculture whenever possible.
These are definitely worth the drive.
AVEC
LA MADIA
NAHA
PERENNIAL VIRANT
(photo above)
PURPLE PIG
MARCH 2014
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