Name: Arugula Salad with Manchego, Apples, and Caramelized Walnuts
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar; 1/2 cup walnut oil; 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar; 8 cups arugula; 2 Red Delicious or Fuji apples, unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced; 6 ounces Spanish Manchego cheese or sharp white cheddar cheese, shaved; 1 1/2 cups pitted dates, sliced; 1 cup Caramelized Walnuts; 4 large shallots, minced

Linda Forst of Mukilteo, Washington, writes: "I attended a conference in Anaheim, California, and went to dinner at Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar in Downtown Disney. The whole meal was outstanding, especially the 'compressed salad.'"

For a "compressed" presentation, the chef uses a three-inch ring mold to mound the salad in the center of each plate. You can use a cleaned-out can, with top and bottom removed, as a mold.

Recipe notes

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