On this episode of Tree to Table, we’re back in the Explore More Discovery Museum Kitchen in downtown Harrisonburg, cooking with our Granny Smith apples. Our host, Sarah Golibart Gorman, is creating a vibrant, Thanksgiving-ready spinach salad with a warm bacon vinaigrette, crisp root vegetables, and tart Granny Smith apples.
This fresh salad is a great, healthy way to balance out all the rich flavors on your Thanksgiving table. Granny Smith apples add a tart, refreshing bite, and using an 18-22 count gift box makes it easy to have plenty for the salad and extra for snacking or sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- 8 oz thick-cut bacon
- ¼ cup shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons tarragon, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped
Salad:
- 8 cups spinach
- 1 medium red beet, peeled and shaved into ribbons
- 1 medium yellow beet, peeled and shaved into ribbons
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and shaved into ribbons
- 4 red radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/8 inch thick
- ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
Cooking Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- In the remaining bacon drippings, sauté the shallots until golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Add apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey to the pan and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and tarragon. Keep warm on low heat.
- Prepare the vegetables and apples by peeling and slicing them into thin ribbons. Soak them in separate ice water baths for 15 minutes to keep colors bright and textures crisp. Drain and dry thoroughly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach, shaved vegetables, and apple slices. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the warm vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat.
- Top with crispy bacon, toasted walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese before serving.
