Endive and Watercress Salad with Apples, Toasted Walnuts, and Goat Cheese

This is the salad we ate at our cooking class at Chopping Block...thinking about swapping out the walnuts for pecans but that shouldn't surprise anyone who reads this blog regularly.

For the salad:

2 heads Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
1 sweet red apple, julienned
1/2 C. walnuts, toasted
1/2 C. goat cheese, crumbled

For the vinaigrette:

1 small shallot, minced
3 to 4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dijon mustard or whole grain mustard
2 tsp. honey or maple syrup
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Gently toss together the endive, watercress, apples and walnuts in a large salad bowl.  Set aside while preparing the vinaigrette.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, mustard and honey.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking rapidly to form an emulsion.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dress the salad with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat.

Serve on chilled salad plates topped with a sprinkling of the goat cheese.