Recipes Salads Winter Salad with Walnut Milk Vinaigrette Be the first to rate & review! NYC chef George Mendes of Aldea and Lupulo restaurants likes using nut milks to flavor all sorts of things, including this creamy and rich-tasting vinaigrette. Slideshow: More Salad Recipes By George Mendes George Mendes Instagram A 2013 Food & Wine Best New Chef, George Mendes was the executive chef at Aldea, a Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant in New York City, from 2009 to 2022. He opened Veranda at the ModernHaus SoHo hotel in 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 1, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Walnut milk is the key to this creamy, rich-tasting vinaigrette. Photo: Justin Chapple Total Time: 25 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1/2 cup walnut halves 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon walnut oil Kosher salt Pepper 1 small head of red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces One 8-ounce head of escarole, white and light green leaves only, torn into bite-size pieces Thinly sliced candy-striped beets, for serving Directions Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool. In a blender, puree the cooled walnuts with the water until smooth. Add the vinegar and pulse to combine. Using a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl, strain the walnuts, pressing on the solids; discard the solids. Whisk in the olive and walnut oils and season the dressing with salt and pepper. In a serving bowl, combine the lettuce, escarole and beets. Add the vinaigrette and toss well; serve. Make Ahead The dressing can be refrigerated overnight. Rate it Print