Candy Apple Little Gems
with Aged Cheddar, Spicy Breadcrumbs & Cinnamon Honey
with Aged Cheddar, Spicy Breadcrumbs & Cinnamon Honey
Technically, the first thing I made after all these months without a kitchen was a soft rolled omelette with crème fraichê and chives, and god did I miss velvety soft eggs. And crème fraichê. And honestly, chives, which were surprisingly difficult to come by in Hawaii?! (You can find that recipe here if you’d like 🫡) As for the second thing I made this past Saturday—a perfect salad for Autumn with super thin tart apple slices covered in a honey-packed dressing with some very easy, spicy, crispy-yet-still-easily-chewable breadcrumbs/croutons, and lots of nutty cheese.
Ingredients:
For serving
Little gems or butter lettuce, 1 clamshell or 2-3 small heads
1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced into wedges (like 1/16th in.)
5 oz aged / sharp white cheddar, broken up into 1” bits (I used Cypress Grove Midnight Moon Aged Goat Milk Cheese (lol) but anything sharp and nutty will do)
For the breadcrumbs/croutons
1/4 loaf of country bread or baguette (I used a buttermilk loaf), cut into 1-in pieces (eyeball this: use as much as you’ll want for two servings—and they’re good so maybe make a few more than you think!)
2 tsp chili pepper flakes
A pinch or two of kosher salt
A few generous glugs of olive oil
For the dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon zest
1-2 tsp honey
A few pinches flaky salt
Start with the dressing: add 1/4 cup olive oil to a large serving bowl and follow with 1 tsp cinnamon, 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1-2 tsp honey, and a couple of pinches of flaky salt. Taste as you go and add a little more salt or honey if you’d like—you’ll want it to be punchy! Whisk and set aside until you’re ready to serve.
Add some olive oil to a nonstick pan over medium heat (enough to cover bottom of pan and then some) and let warm through for 4-5 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice your apple into wedges (about 1/16th of an inch thick) and set aside.
Add your pieces of bread to the pan and toss with tongs until they’re fully coated in oil, and let sit undisturbed for 5 min, then stir them around the pan so they get evenly crispy: add the 2 tsp chili flakes and a pinch of flaky salt, toss, then let sit undisturbed another 5 min. Remove from the heat.
Add your little gems or butter lettuce to a large serving bowl with the bits of cheese, apple slices, breadcrumbs, plus a pinch or two of flaky salt. Add the dressing, toss to combine, and plate the salad. On each dish, drizzle with a little honey and another dusting of ground cinnamon.
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