I made this salad SO many times last fall and I'm excited to bring it back again this year. It has a variety of textures and flavors - tender squash, crispy kale chips, tart crunchy pomegranate seeds, salty parmesan cheese, and sweet maple syrup in the dressing.
Ingredients -
1 medium butternut squash
1 bunch lacinato kale
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup pistachios - chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Parmesan cheese - use a vegetable peeler to make about 1 cup of large shavings
Maple balsamic dressing - recipe follows
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the butternut squash, cut the longer, neck part of the squash from the bottom part that contains the seeds. set the part with the seeds aside for another use. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and then again crosswise into 1/4 inch thick half circles. Toss the squash pieces with olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast them in the oven until they are browned and softened. Set aside.
Remove the kale leaves from the thick stems and tear into pieces. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Put the leaves in a bowl and rub with olive oil until all are completely coated. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven until they are starting to get crispy. This will only take about 5 minutes or so and they cook fast so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
To assemble the salad place 1/3 of the squash pieces on a large serving platter, top with 1/3 of the kale and sprinkle on 1/3 of the pistachios, onion and pomegranate seeds. Repeat the layering process until all the ingredients are used. Top the salad with the parmesan shavings and maple balsamic dressing.
Maple Balsamic Dressing -
2T balsamic vinegar
1T maple syrup
1tsp dijion mustard
1 clove garlic - crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and maple syrup until well combined. Slowly whisk in olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Will keep about a week in the fridge in a closed container.
Salad serves 4 as a side dish
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