Spinach Citrus Salad in a Parmesan Frico Cup

These salad cups are amazing and a sure crowd pleaser.  I recently brought them to a bridal shower and everyone was asking about them, so impressed and even taking pictures!  

I made 30 of them and placed them on 4 large silver serving plates.  They were so beautiful and delicious!  I would make the Fricos ahead of time, especially for large parties.  I had all my ingredients in separate containers and assembled the cups at the shower right before serving. It would be easier if you were hosting the party at your own house ;-)

You will definitely impress your guests!

Yield:6 servings
Level:Advanced 

Ingredients

For the Parmesan Frico Cups:

• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (make sure it's fresh cheese - DO NOT use the cheese out of the green shaker, it will not work!)

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Spinach Salad:

• 6 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 6 cups) - remove any large stems and tear any large leaves so that they fit easily in the cups)
• 1 orange, cut into segments*
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

* Whereas the larger slices of an orange look prettier, it's a pain to segment an orange.  Adding mandarin oranges is much easier, convenient and not as messy.  Just add about 3 of them in each salad bowl. 

Special equipment: a silpat mat, a muffin tin, and a small drinking glass

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the Parmesan Frico Cups:
Place a silpat mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place 6 (1/4-cup) mounds of Parmesan cheese on the mat and gently tap down until each mound is flat and 4 1/2 to 5 inches in diameter. Bake for 5 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Working quickly, use a thin spatula to transfer the Parmesan Frico to a muffin tin. Gently place a small drinking glass on top of the Parmesan Frico to mold it into the shape 1 of the muffin cups. Let cool until firm, about 5 minutes. 

NOTE: If you make them too thick they will be chewy rather than crispy, and if you brown them too much they will taste bitter. I also find it easier to make a small batch at a time, 6 to 8 on a baking sheet. This allows me to work with them while they are still warm.

(I just removed from oven, let sit for about 10 seconds and picked them up with my hands, placed it over the muffin hole and molded it with my fingers, it turned out to have sort of a ruffled edge.  You could also turn the muffin tin upside down, place the Frico on top of 1 of the muffins and mold). 

Continue with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place cups on a cooling rack.

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a tight-sealing plastic container. Shake to blend.

For the Spinach Salad:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Divide the salad among the Parmesan Frico Cups and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis