Red, White & Blue Salad

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups/140 g Romaine hearts, cut ¾-in/20-mm julienne
1 cup/20 g baby arugula/rocket
1½ cups/240 g tomatoes, cut in ½-in/12-mm slices
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup/80 ml Maytag Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
2 Tbsp sweet onion, cut in very thin half-moon slices
2 Tbsp Candied Spiced Nuts (see recipe below)
4 tsp chives, minced
4 Tbsp Maytag Blue Cheese crumbles

MAYTAG BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Makes: 1½ cups/350 ml

Ingredients:
5 oz/140 g Maytag Blue Cheese
1 oz/30 g shallot, chopped roughly
1½ fl oz/45 ml mirin
3 fl oz/90 ml rice wine vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp iodized salt
1 tsp Italian parsley, minced

Instructions:

• Blend all ingredients except parsley for 1-2 minutes until incorporated.
• Incorporate parsley.

CANDIED SPICED NUTS

Makes: 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup/135 g raw macadamia nuts, whole
1 cup/135 g unsalted cashews, whole and halves
2 cups/290 g raw almonds, whole
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup/200 g sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp cinnamon
4 tsp iodized salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ginger, ground
¼ cup/60 ml water

Instructions:

• Toss nuts, oil, and sugar until evenly coated.
• Cook in saucepan over low heat until sugar melts, stirring continuously.
• Add spices.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Deglaze with water.
• Place nut mixture on parchment-lined sheet pan and back at 350°F/175°C for 8 minutes.
• Cool at room temperature, then break cooled mixture into bite-size chunks.