Celery, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

• 6 ounces cheese blue
• 0.8 cup hazelnuts 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1 pinch cayenne 
• 4 servings salt 
• 2 bunches celery 
• 12  dates dried with a handful of cranberries or cherries) pitted
• 0.3 cup olive oil extra virgin (or hazelnut oil if you happen to have it)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
• 4 teaspoons juice of lemon (if using Meyer lemons, use 2 Tbsp)
• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• wooden spoon
• kitchen towels
• peeler

Directions

1. Remove cheese from refrigerator to come to room temperature.
2. Place hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 30 minutes.
3. Prep celery and dates: While the nuts are roasting, prepare the other ingredients. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough outer strings of the stalks of celery. Slice the celery stalks on the diagonal into 1/4-inch thick slices.
4. Slice the dates lengthwise first in half, then slice the halves lengthwise into 3 or four pieces. If the dates are on the large size, you may want to slice them in half widthwise first. You want to end up with pieces that are about an inch long and a 1/4 inch wide.
5. Rub outer skin off hazelnuts: Once the hazelnuts have roasted for half an hour, remove them from the oven, let cool for a few minutes. Then rub the hazelnuts together inside of a clean dish towel to remove as much of the outer dark skin as you can.
6. Glaze hazelnuts: Melt butter in a small skillet.
7. Add a pinch of cayenne and salt.
8. Add the roasted hazelnuts to the pan and toast them on medium low heat for a few minutes, continuously stirring.
9. When the hazelnuts are hot, turn off the heat and add maple syrup to the pan. Stir to coat the hazelnuts in the maple syrup.
10. Let glazed nuts sit in the pan to cool. Later you will scrape them loose with a wooden spoon and serve atop the salad.
11. Prepare the salad dressing: In a small jar, mix together the olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
12. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Shake to combine.
13. Layer a shallow platter or dish first with the sliced celery, then dates, then crumble the blue cheese over it and sprinkle with glazed hazelnuts. Right before serving, pour dressing over top.