I wanted to try to lighten the meal up a little and so included a leafy green salad. The real star here was the Cider Vinaigrette, which I adapted from an Ina Garten recipe. I think it would also be good served with some roasted vegetables or on a variety of salad mixes. For my salad, I combined arugula, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, roasted red onions and grated Parmesan cheese. It was a nice balance and a salad I will make for dinner again soon.
Cider Vinaigrette
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup walnut oil
Combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from the heat and whish in mustard, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
***It you don’t have walnut oil this is also good with olive oil. You could substitute 1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil if you prefer. Since the flavor of the walnut oil is stronger, I only used 1/4 cup.