Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup (4 ounces) hazelnuts
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 small handfuls arugula, washed
10 medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced
1 ¾ cups (7 ounces) Wisconsin Cheddar Blue Cheese, shaved
Salt and pepper to taste
Wisconsin Cheddar-Blue Salad with Hazelnuts and Dates
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place hazelnuts* on rimmed baking pan and roast for 10-12 minutes. Let cool, and roughly chop.
Make Vinaigrette: Bring small saucepan to medium-low heat and melt butter. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Add lemon zest and thyme and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and spoon into small bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
In large bowl, toss arugula with two-thirds of vinaigrette. Mix in hazelnuts, dates and salt and pepper to taste.
Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad onto 4 plates. Sprinkle Cheddar Blue shavings over salad and drizzle remaining dressing delicately over plates.
If using hazelnuts with skins, allow to cool and then rub between fingers to loosen and remove skins. Discard skins and chop hazelnuts.