Americans began a love affair with all things Australian in the 1980’s. Paul Hogan, Crocodile Dundee, “shrimp on the barbie” and Outback Steakhouse’s. Maybe because Australia is on the other side of the world from us and seems like such an exotic place to those that have never been. But, something tells me that those examples don’t represent the “real” Australia.
Every March, my family would travel to Sarasota, Florida from Chicago to escape the below-zero temperatures and enjoy the sun and surf. My father discovered the Outback Steakhouse and we would eat there every time we traveled. This was in the late 80’s and Outback hadn’t made it north to Chicago, yet. He loved it…the huge steak knives, the fact that the servers would “scoot” you over and take your order sitting in the booth (yes, they used to do that) and, of course, the Bloomin’ Onion. Now there are 1,000 Outback Steakhouse’s worldwide and is owned by Bloomin’ Brands, who also owns Carrabba’s, Fleming’s Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill.
The Blue Cheese Pecan Chopped Salad is one of the most popular salad items on the menu. The dressing is a blue cheese and parmesan vinaigrette. The salad is a mix of iceberg, romaine and slivered red cabbage, all tossed with blue cheese crumbles, crispy noodles and cinnamon spiced pecans that are ADDICTIVE! In fact, spiced pecans are so good by themselves, they would make a great, little “bar snack” for holiday entertaining.
For a complete meal, top the salad with grilled chicken, steak or shrimp. Oh, yea!
*Tip: Dress the salad according to your personal taste. I like my salads lightly dressed, while my husband is a bit heavy-handed with the dressing. To each his own. And try adding a little cayenne pepper to the pecan seasoning for a spicy, yet delightful, kick.
For more entertaining recipe ideas, try Outback Steakhouse’s Gold Coast Shrimp or Cheesecake Factory’s Avocado Eggrolls with a tamarind & cashew dipping sauce
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette:
- 2/3 cup EVOO
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 TBL grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. Good Seasons Italian seasoning mix
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flake
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 5 cranks black pepper
- Candied Pecans:
- 1 cup (4oz.) chopped pecans
- 5 TBL granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 2 TBL unsalted butter
- 2 TBL water
- Salad Ingredients:
- 4 cups iceberg lettuce; washed, dried & chopped
- 2 cups romaine lettuce; washed, dried & chopped
- ¼ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup matchstick carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped green onion, green part only
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- La Choy Chow Mein fried noodles
Instructions
Vinaigrette Instructions
In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients except the rice vinegar. Stir on medium heat until the cheeses are completely melted. Once melted, set aside to cool. Once the vinaigrette mixture has cooled, place ingredients in a blender canister. Blend on medium speed, while slowly drizzling in the rice vinegar. Place in a covered container and refrigerate until use.
Pecan Instructions
In covered container, add all ingredients except the unsalted butter. Shake the container until the pecans are coated in the spice mix. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Once butter is melted and bubbly, add the pecans. Toss, continuously, in the saucepan until all of the liquid has evaporated and the sugars have clung to the pecans. Do not allow the pecans to burn or begin to smoke. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper and break apart the pecans, so they don’t cool in one big clump. Allow the pecans to cool, completely.
Salad Instructions
In a large salad bowl, add lettuces, cabbage, carrots, green onion, crumbled blue cheese and Chow Mein noodles (as many/few as you’d like). Toss the salad with the vinaigrette according to your personal taste.
Optional: top the served salad with extra pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Chow Mein noodles.
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette:
- 2/3 cup EVOO
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 TBL grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. Good Seasons Italian seasoning mix
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flake
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 5 cranks black pepper
- Candied Pecans:
- 1 cup (4oz.) chopped pecans
- 5 TBL granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 2 TBL unsalted butter
- 2 TBL water
- Salad Ingredients:
- 4 cups iceberg lettuce; washed, dried & chopped
- 2 cups romaine lettuce; washed, dried & chopped
- ¼ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup matchstick carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped green onion, green part only
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- La Choy Chow Mein fried noodles
Instructions
Vinaigrette Instructions
In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients except the rice vinegar. Stir on medium heat until the cheeses are completely melted. Once melted, set aside to cool. Once the vinaigrette mixture has cooled, place ingredients in a blender canister. Blend on medium speed, while slowly drizzling in the rice vinegar. Place in a covered container and refrigerate until use.
Pecan Instructions
In covered container, add all ingredients except the unsalted butter. Shake the container until the pecans are coated in the spice mix. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Once butter is melted and bubbly, add the pecans. Toss, continuously, in the saucepan until all of the liquid has evaporated and the sugars have clung to the pecans. Do not allow the pecans to burn or begin to smoke. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper and break apart the pecans, so they don’t cool in one big clump. Allow the pecans to cool, completely.
Salad Instructions
In a large salad bowl, add lettuces, cabbage, carrots, green onion, crumbled blue cheese and Chow Mein noodles (as many/few as you’d like). Toss the salad with the vinaigrette according to your personal taste.
Optional: top the served salad with extra pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Chow Mein noodles.
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