Candied Walnut Orange Salad

Submitted by Marsha H.

"Almost don't need dressing!"

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• Candied Walnuts

• vegetable oil cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons sugar, for top
• 3 tablespoons orange juice, from can
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped large
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Salad

• 2 heads butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 16 ounces mandarin orange segments, 2 cans
• 1⁄2 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped large
• 1 cup asian-style dressing (such as miso dressing or ginger dressing)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a large cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add 6 tablespoons sugar and mandarine orange juice. Bring to a simmer, and then add walnuts. Cook until sugar is absorbed and mixture starts to caramelize around walnuts, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Toss walnuts in cinnamon-sugar. Place walnuts in single layer on prepared cookie sheet. Bake until walnuts appear crystallized and toasted, about 8 minutes. Set aside
4. Chop lettace. Mix all ingredients together.
5. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing on top of each salad and serve.

Reviews

[Muffin Goddess]

When I chose this recipe to make, I knew I'd like the candied walnuts, but I wasn't sure how I would feel about the salad part (I'm kinda picky about fruit in savory salads). I was pleasantly surprised to find that every part of this salad went so well together. I was almost tempted to just eat the candied walnuts and skip the salad at first, but I'm really glad I didn't. I definitely recommend only making as much as you need for one meal, though -- if the salad sits for too long, the oranges give off juice, which melts the coating off of the nuts and makes the salad soggy. It's an awesome salad when freshly made, though. I agree with hammy about the dressing, too. I think this salad would be equally tasty even without it. Thanks for posting! Made for PAC Fall 09

 

[Acerast]

Colorful salad with loads of different flavors and textures. The candied walnuts were very tasty and easy to make. I was a bit confused by the instructions because only 3 Tablespoons sugar are mentioned in the ingredient list which does not match what is mentioned in the instructions. I ended up using equal parts (3 Tablespoons each) sugar and orange juice for simmering step and another 3 Tablespoons for the baking step and they turned out fine. DD especially liked this so thanks hammy for a fun way to get our veggies.

 

[Chef likestocook]

This is almost like the recipe that I got from the Sandra Lee Semi-homemade show. My original recipe called only for the lettuce, mandarin oranges and onion. The walnuts made this way are absolutely amazing. In fact I have to hide them to make sure I still have them when it is time for the salad. I have changed this up by using spinach,chopped apples, strawberries, walnuts and the mandarin oranges. I have used poppyseed and a raspberry dressing. The whole key is the wonderful walnuts!