Avocado Peach Salad

1. Stage

Reserve 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Whisk the rest with brown sugar and vinegar until sugar dissolves. Add olive oil, honey, 1 pinch salt, and mustard. Whisk until dressing is thoroughly emulsified; set aside.

2. Stage

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix white sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat, without stirring, until sugar has melted and is just beginning to change color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add walnuts and stir to coat; turn mixture out onto the parchment paper. Season lightly with salt and allow to cool.

3. Stage

Fill a medium-sized pot with enough water to submerge peach. Bring to a boil; add peach. Boil for 1 minute and turn off heat. Let sit for another minute; remove peach from water with a spider or slotted spoon. Place onto a folded towel to cool.

4. Stage

Cut each avocado half into 8 slices using a small knife. Carefully remove skin. Brush avocado slices with the reserved lemon juice.

5. Stage

Peel the loosened skin from the peach, taking care not to squash the flesh, and discard. Cut into 16 even slices. Carefully pry out 1 slice; remove the remaining slices from the pit. Trim away any hard bits of the stone that adhere to the center of the slices.

6. Stage

Crack and separate any of the cooled candied walnuts that have stuck together. Toss them with the crumbled blue cheese.

7. Stage

Divide spinach over 4 salad plates. Arrange peach and avocado on top in alternating and partially overlapping slices, forming a ring. Spoon the blue cheese-walnut mixture into the middle of each ring. Drizzle the dressing over the salads.