WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH GARLIC, HAZELNUTS AND GOLDEN RAISINS
WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH GARLIC, HAZELNUTS AND GOLDEN RAISINS
Serves 4 to 5.
If you peel the garlic and chop the nuts ahead of time, the final preparations will be quick. Once assembled, this salad doesn't keep well, so aim for putting it together just before serving.
12 oz. baby spinach leaves, cleaned and dried
4 to 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 c. coarsely chopped hazelnuts
2 to 3 medium-size garlic cloves, minced
Salt
2 to 3 tbsp. golden raisins
1/4c. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
2 to 3 tbsp. Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place spinach leaves in a large bowl. Break into bite-size pieces, if necessary, and remove stems, if desired. Gently heat olive oil in a medium-small skillet over a low flame and add the hazelnuts. Cook over low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hazelnuts begin to turn golden. Add garlic during the last minute or two, cooking it slightly but not frying it. (Browning garlic causes it to taste bitter.)
Add this hot mixture to spinach, scraping in as much of the oil as you can. (You can also toss some of the spinach back into the hot pan, to mop up any extra oil left behind.) Toss until all spinach is coated and nuts and garlic are well distributed. Sprinkle lightly with salt as you toss. Add raisins and gorgonzola and mix well. Sprinkle in vinegar and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately, passing a pepper mill.
Nutrition information per serving of 5:
Calories293Fat27 gSodium150 mgSat. fat4 g
Carbohydrates10 gCalcium134 mg
Protein7 gChol5 mgDietary fiber4 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, ½ medium-fat meat, 5 fat.
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