Wilted Spinach Salad With Chevre-Walnut Cups

This is an interesting and deliciously tangy salad from Secrets from a Caterer's Kitchen by Nicole Aloni.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Sherry Vinaigrette

• 1⁄2 cup sherry wine vinegar
• 1  teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2  tablespoons  finely minced shallots
• 3⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Walnut Cups

• 1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, toasted if desired
• 1  pinch salt
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  egg white

• Salad

• 1  lb fresh spinach
• 2  cups watercress
• 3⁄4 cup of fresh mint
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 3  tablespoons  minced fresh oregano
• 4 -8  ounces  chevre cheese, softened
• 8  walnut halves (optional)
•  fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Sherry Vinaigrette:
2. In a small microwave safe bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Add the shallot. While whisking slowly, pour in the olive oil and whisk until mixture thickens slightly. Set aside.
3. Walnut Cups:
4. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a mini muffin tin. Combine the walnuts and salt in a food processor and pulse to finely grind walnuts. Add the flour and egg white and process till well mixed. Place about 1 T of mixture into each greased mini muffin cup and press on bottom and sides to form cups. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes till golden. Remove and let cool completely on wire rack.
5. Salad:
6. Rinse spinach well, remove stems and pat dry. Rinse and dry the watercress and mint.
7. Preheat the oven to 375. Put 1-2 T of chevre in each walnut cup. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and top with a walnut half, if desired. Place on a baking sheet.
8. in a large salad bowl, toss the spinach, watercress, mint, garlic and oregano to combine.
9. Bake the filled walnut cups for about 4 minutes, till bubbling.
10. Put the vinaigrette in a loosely covered container in the microwave and heat on high for 1 1/2 minutes, till bubbline hot. Uncover carefully and whisk to blend.
11. Put one-eighth of the greens on each salad plate. Top with one of the warm walnut cups and immediately drizzle the hot dressing over each plate. Season with pepper if desired and serve immediately.
12. For an entree version of this salad, you could add some cooked chicken.