Tangy Autumn Greens with Tamari-Roasted Walnuts, Dried Cherries and Stilton

Created by Michel Nischan

This salad gets a flavorful boost from walnuts roasted in tamari, a soy sauce that adds salty flavor with more character than table salt.

Servings: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon tamari
2 teaspoons molasses
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
9 ounces mixed full-flavored salad greens such as arugula, frisée, dandelion, and mustard
1 small red onion , peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled Stilton cheese

Directions:

To make the walnuts, preheat oven to 350�F. In a small bowl, stir tamari, molasses, a pinch of salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne until blended. Add nuts and toss until coated. With a slotted spoon, transfer walnuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and roast about 10 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and let cool completely on rack. Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a 1-quart saucepan, heat apple juice and vinegar over medium heat until mixture boils. Place cherries in a small bowl. Pour hot juice mixture over cherries; allow cherries to marinate and soften, 30 minutes. Strain juice mixture from cherries into the same saucepan. Heat mixture to boiling; simmer 15 to 17 minutes over medium heat, or until juice mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup. Transfer juice mixture to a small bowl and blend with oil. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine greens, walnuts, red onion, Stilton, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and marinated cherries. Whisk dressing just before drizzling over salad. Toss salad gently and briefly to prevent cheese from clumping.

From Oprah.Com