Pecan Salad & Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar (Trader Joe’s)
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. mayo
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 cup good olive oil

For the salad:
Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings
Chopped red onion
Dried cherries (or craisins)
Crumbled goat cheese
Candied Pecans (recipe below)

For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, mayo and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season to taste. (or use an immersion blender or whisk)

Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten and place cherries, cheese, and pecans on top.

Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans
Bon Appétit, September 1999

Ingredients:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 tablespoons light corn syrup (or maybe honey instead)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (or brown sugar)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pecans; stir gently to coat. Transfer to baking sheet.

Place large piece of foil on work surface. Bake pecans 5 minutes. Using fork, stir pecans to coat with melted spice mixture. Continue baking until pecans are golden and coating bubbles, about 10 minutes. Transfer to foil. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Makes 1 1/2 cups.