Southern Pecan and Apple Salad

I knew I'd love this one. Bitter greens, peppery arugula, sliced apples, caramel pecans. Stop right there. CARAMEL PECANS??? I am so sugar challenged that I once went through five pounds of sugar trying to make toffee. I should have known then. But this seemed so easy. Two ingredients, low heat. Yeah right. On low heat the butter melted, the sugar did nothing. Stir. Raise the heat, stir and the sugar seemed to be melting. One big stir and it seemed fine. Not burnt but one big glob. I put the nuts in. Not good. It clumped into one big sugar ball with nice pecans stuck to the big glob.

I salvaged what I could and they were actually really good. At least the ones I was able to chip off the ball of caramel. Is caramel supposed to shatter and chip?

I loved this salad, it would also be nice with blue cheese crumbled, I guess it wouldn't be Southern, but it would taste good!

Southern Pecan and Apple Salad

Source: original recipe - Jamie's America: Easy Twists on Great American Classics, and More by Jamie Oliver
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipes

olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecan halves
3 teaspoons orange zest
juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 medium red or green apples, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
2 heads Belgian endive, separated into leaves
2 cups mixed greens (such as arugula and radicchio)

Lightly rub a cookie sheet with olive oil or use a silpat-lined cookie sheet; set aside. Heat a large saucepan over low heat; add butter and sugar. Simmer a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture darkens. Gently stir in pecans until well-coated; be careful not to splash yourself. Transfer nuts to cookie sheet; use the back of a spoon to separate them into one layer. Allow to cool so caramel hardens.

Combine orange zest, orange juice, mustard, vinegar, and oil in a large salad bowl; stir well with a whisk. Taste and adjust the flavors, if needed, and season with salt and pepper.

Add apples and greens to dressing. Break cooled pecans apart; add half of them to bowl of salad. Toss mixture gently with your hands. Divide among 6 plates; top with remaining pecans and serve.

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