Ensalada Roja for a Valentine Today

Yes it was in "Off Duty" and I used it! Off duty is my favorite section in the WSJ on Saturday.
The last two entries in the Slow Food Fast was by Chef Hugo Ortega: a Tomatillo-Chicharron Guisado, and now, red salad with blue Cheese and candied nuts.
Chef Hugo hails out of Houston via Mexico and owns 5 restaurants, the latest, Xochi opened in January.
This red salad recipe, includes candied nuts, julienne apples, radicchio and endive. Trader Joe's had a red endive, a first for me. No deliveries on this one. Enjoy!

1/2 cup sugar ( I went half and half with Sweet and Low)
1/4 cup water
1 cup raw walnuts, roasted 8 minutes
Salt and Pepper to taste
3/4 c Orange juice
3 T lime juice, zest first and save
1/3 olive oil
2 heads radicchio heads
1 head endive, at Trader Joe's
1 fuji apple cored, and julienne
2/3 cups blue cheese
2/3 cups pomegranate seeds ( I had saved in freezer)

Candied nuts:
Heat water and sugar in a sauce pan, stir to dissolve sugar. When golden brown, add nuts
and stir to coat, about two minutes.  Spread on wax paper to cool.

Dressing:
Whisk OJ, lime juice, salt and pepper together. Drizzle oil, whisking until emulsified.

Assemble Salad:
In a large bowl, toss radicchio, endive, apples, blue cheese seeds, and nuts together. toss in enough
dressing to coat.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, divide evenly among plates