Granite Spinach Salad

Serves 4

1 cup walnut halves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 lb. apple smoked bacon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup whole garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 cup canola oil, divided
1 Tblsp shallots, chopped
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
2 Tblsp fresh tarragon, divided
1 cup goat cheese
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup flour
1/2 lb. flat leaf or baby spinach
1 red onion, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1 oz. Stilton
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Simmer walnut halves in brown sugar and water for about 30 minutes, then drain. (Keep walnut simple syrup for ice cream or coffee.) Bake walnuts in a slow oven at 325° F for about 20 minutes.

Cook the bacon until crispy. Reserve the bacon grease, and chop the bacon into small pieces.
Combine the sugar, wine and garlic in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the garlic is soft. Separate the garlic from the syrup, and reserve them both.
In a saute pan, heat 1/4 cup bacon grease with the 1/4 cup of canola oil. Add the shallots and sauté until brown, approximately 1 minute. Do not blacken! Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup garlic syrup and heat until the mixture is just warmed through. Remove from heat. Add 1 tablespoon of tarragon, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.

Mix together the goat cheese, 1/3 cup candied garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and form the mixture into 2 ounce disks. Mix together the buttermilk and the egg. In a separate bowl combine the chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon tarragon and coriander. Roll the goat cheese medallions first in flour, then in the buttermilk and egg mixture, and finally in the walnuts and breadcrumbs. Heat 1/2 cup canola oil in a skillet and pan-fry the medallions. Make sure all sides are lightly browned.

Assemble the salad. Rinse and pick the spinach, then set side. Quickly heat all of the remaining ingredients, using a small handful each of onions, apples, candied walnuts per serving, bacon bits and stilton to taste in a stainless bowl placed directly onto the stove. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the spinach and quickly toss it all together while the dressing is still warm. Top with the goat cheese medallions.