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Restaurants›Kona Grill - Tampa›Sweet & Bleu Salad* Recipe

Sweet & Bleu Salad* Recipe

Name: Kona Grill - Tampas Sweet & Bleu Salad* Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 cups mixed salad greens (spring mix or baby greens); 1 each apple (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and thinly sliced; 4 each bacon strips, cooked crisp and roughly chopped; 1 each roma or vine tomato, cut into wedges or 1/2" dice; 3 oz crumbled bleu cheese (or blue cheese); 3 oz spiced candied pecans, roughly chopped; 1 cup plain buttermilk; 1 tbs mayonnaise; 2 tbs plain yogurt (or sour cream); 1 tbs apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp honey; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 small clove); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 cup pecan halves; 2 tbs granulated sugar; 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey); 1 tsp unsalted butter; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp smoked paprika or cayenne (optional, for warmth); 0.25 tsp salt; 1 tsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable) for brushing apples; 1 each lemon or lime wedge (optional, for finishing apples)

Inspired by Kona Grill - Tampa

Time30m

Serves4

mixed greens, grilled apples, bacon, bleu cheese, spiced pecan, tomato, buttermilk dressing

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Ingredients

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Salad

6 cups mixed salad greens (spring mix or baby greens)

1 each apple (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and thinly sliced

4 each bacon strips, cooked crisp and roughly chopped

1 each roma or vine tomato, cut into wedges or 1/2" dice

3 oz crumbled bleu cheese (or blue cheese)

3 oz spiced candied pecans, roughly chopped

Buttermilk Dressing

1 cup plain buttermilk

1 tbs Mayonnaise

2 tbs plain yogurt (or sour cream)

1 tbs Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 small clove)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Spiced Pecans (if making from scratch)

1 cup pecan halves

2 tbs granulated sugar

1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)

1 tsp Unsalted butter

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp smoked paprika or cayenne (optional, for warmth)

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Grilling / Finishing

1 tsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable) for brushing apples

1 each lemon or lime wedge (optional, for finishing apples)

Method

Spiced Pecans (if making from scratch)

Toast and candy pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl toss pecans with sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika (or cayenne, if using), and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes, stirring half way, until fragrant and caramelized. Transfer to a cool plate and let cool completely; roughly chop to yield about 3 oz.

Buttermilk Dressing

Whisk dressing

In a medium bowl combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, yogurt (or sour cream), apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon, minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more honey to sweeten, more vinegar or lemon for tang, or a pinch more salt. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes to meld flavors; stir before using.

Salad Assembly

Cook bacon

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8–10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then roughly chop into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare grilled apples

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Brush apple slices lightly with 1 tsp neutral oil to prevent sticking. Grill apple slices 1–2 minutes per side until grill marks appear and apples soften slightly. Optional: squeeze the lemon or lime wedge over grilled apples to brighten flavor.

Toss salad

In a large bowl combine 6 cups mixed greens and the chopped tomato. Add about half of the dressing (start with 3/4 cup) and gently toss to coat evenly. Arrange dressed greens on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates.

Finish and serve

Top the dressed greens with grilled apple slices, chopped bacon, crumbled bleu cheese (3 oz), and the chopped spiced pecans (about 3 oz). Drizzle additional dressing as desired or serve extra on the side. Serve immediately so apples remain warm and nuts stay crisp.