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Monday, July 5, 2010
 It's berry season in Washington State and we have a wonderful array of fresh berries available to play with. This delicious summer berry salad is accented with Goat Cheese and finished with candied Holmquist Hazelnuts. The Holmquist Hazelnuts are a delightful, special hazelnut grown locally in Lynden, Washington. They have a full, nutty flavor in an almond shape.
When designing the presentation for this plate I wanted to do a rectangular shaped design rather than the traditional "mound 'o greens" design. This would allow me to do a strip of the raspberry vinaigrette on the front edge of the plate and offer contrast to the presentation.
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Northwest Berry Salad with Chevre
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| Spring Mix |
2 |
|
Oz |
| Rasp Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below) |
1 |
|
Oz |
| Raspberries |
5 |
|
Ea |
| Blackberries |
5 |
|
Ea |
| Blueberries |
8 |
|
Ea |
| Candied Hazelnuts (see below) |
8 |
|
Ea |
| Chevre, crumbled |
3/4 |
|
Oz |
| Rasp Balsamic Vinaigrette |
1/2 |
|
Oz |
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Procedure:
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| Lightly toss the spring mix and 1 Oz of Vinaigrette. |
| With the remaining 1/2 Oz of vinaigrette, decorate the edge of the plate. |
| Arrange the greens on the plate. |
| Scatter most of the Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and chevre around the edges of the greens with a few over the top. |
| Top with candied Hazelnuts to finish. |
| Serve and Enjoy! |
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Candied Holmquist Hazelnuts
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| Star Anise |
1 |
|
Ea |
| Cloves |
2 |
|
Ea |
| Cinnamon Stick |
1/2 |
|
Inch |
| Dry Orange Peel |
1 |
|
Tsp |
| Cayenne Pepper |
1/8 |
|
Tsp |
| Brown Sugar |
1/2 |
|
Cup |
| Holmquist Hazelnuts, unseasoned, raw |
1 |
|
Cup |
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Procedure:
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| In a spice grinder, grind Anise, Cloves & Cinnamon to the consistency of Sugar. Transfer to a mixing bowl. |
| Add remaining spices and mix well. |
| Toss hazelnuts in mixture and coat well. Arrange on a silpat. |
| Place in a 300 degree oven and bake until glazed, about 20 minutes. |
| Remove from oven - DO NOT TOUCH NUTS until cooled!! |
| Let cool to room temp before being served (about 20 minutes). |
| Store in an air-tight dry container at room temp. |
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| *Holmquist Halzelnuts are specialty Hazelnut of superior flavor and shape. |
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| Do Not Touch the Nuts when they come out of the oven!! They will be like napalm, the sugar will stick to your skin and burn you. |
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Raspberry Vinaigrette
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| Raspberry Vinegar |
2/3 |
|
Cup |
| Shallots, finely minced |
2 |
|
Tsp |
| Balsamic Glaze |
4 |
|
Tsp |
| Raspberry Puree |
6 |
|
Tbl |
| Thyme, Fresh chopped Fine |
1 |
|
Tsp |
| Honey |
2-3 |
|
Tbl |
| Sea Salt |
Pinch |
|
|
| White Pepper |
Pinch |
|
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| Pomace Olive Oil |
2/3 |
|
Cup |
| Canola Oil |
2/3 |
|
Cup |
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Procedure:
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| Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add to a blender or food processor. |
| Combine the oils into one easy to pour container. |
| With the blender turned on, slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture until emulsified. |
| Note: After the vinaigrette rests for a time it may need to be whisked again to emulsify. |
| Store in refrigerator. |
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