Recipe video above. A show off salad to impress! Skip the pecans to make it a quick 'n easy salad for anytime. This makes a BIG salad for sharing (8 - 10 as side). Scale recipe down if needed (click Servings and slide!)
1tbspeschallots(French onion), very finely chopped
2.5tbspwhite wine vinegar
5tbspolive oil
1.5tbspmayonnaise
1tbspwhite sugar
1tbsppoppyseeds
3/4tspsalt
1/4tspblack pepper
Instructions
Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside for 10 minutes+ (keeps for a week).
Candied Pecans:
Place butter and sugar in a non stick skillet over medium high. When butter is melted, add nuts.
Stir 5 minutes - sugar will go sandy, then eventually melt into a caramel.
Once sugar melts, cook for 2 minutes then spread pecans out on tray.
Cool then break to separate.
Assemble Salad:
Place spinach and onion in a bowl, drizzle with about 3 tbsp Dressing, toss.
Transfer 1/3 spinach in a bowl. Scatter over 1/3 of each strawberries, avocado, feta, pecans. Drizzle with a bit of dressing.
Top with another 1/3 spinach, strawberries, avocado, feta, pecans, then a bit more Dressing. Repeat once more.
Serve immediately!
Notes
1. Strawberries 375g / 12 oz = 1 1/2 Aussie punnets, 1 US pint. About 15 large(ish) strawberries.2. Avocado - I often skip avo when making this as a quick side salad midweek.3. Candied pecans - the candying makes this extra special. But for everyday purposes, I skip the candying and use plain pecans. Also feel free to use other nuts! Flaked almonds or roughly chopped almonds are especially terrific.Nut allergy? Try candied sunflower seeds! I haven't made it but have tried it and it's delish. The recipe should work just fine!4. Recipe source - inspired by a bunch of recipes found online, dressing recipe my own, this Poppyseed Dressing recipe.5. Serving size - serves 8 to 12 as a side dish, 4 to 5 as a meal.6. Storage - once dressed, it won't keep well so try to keep leftovers undressed. After dressing, the spinach gets a bit wilted after about 30 minutes or so.To take this somewhere, keep the components separate then assemble before serving.Avo prep tip: Cut in half and remove seed. Leave flesh in skin and cut into pieces using small knife (ie in the skin). Drizzled cut surface with lemon juice, return seed, put halves together. Place in airtight container with 1/2 freshly cut brown onion. Onion + seed + lemon juice = keeps avo green for days! To serve, use spoon to scoop flesh out - because it's already cut, pieces will fall into the salad! Leave a comment below if you want a video for this Avo prep ahead tip!