Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Cranberries
My love of salads is well-documented throughout this blog. Salads are a constant all year long, and it’s a great treat when the ingredients change seasonally. Here’s a really good one for your consideration.
I recently sought out an autumnal salad with colors mimicking the beautiful red and gold leaves that have begun to pile up in my yard. (It was a side dish for a Foodie Dinner to be described in detail in an upcoming post.) And then a beautiful picture in September’s Cooking Light magazine grabbed me by the eyeballs and said, “This is it!” I’m here to tell you, that inanimate object was absolutely right.
This salad somehow manages to marry contrasting textures and flavors into a harmonious and extremely satisfying dish. Creamy roast squash complements the somewhat leathery raw kale (don’t forget to ‘massage’ the leaves with olive oil and lemon). Sweet cranberries take on a tart little zing after soaking in red wine vinegar. The hardest part is carving the pumpkin/squash. All in all, this is a great salad for parties or family dinners at home.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
I recently sought out an autumnal salad with colors mimicking the beautiful red and gold leaves that have begun to pile up in my yard. (It was a side dish for a Foodie Dinner to be described in detail in an upcoming post.) And then a beautiful picture in September’s Cooking Light magazine grabbed me by the eyeballs and said, “This is it!” I’m here to tell you, that inanimate object was absolutely right.
This salad somehow manages to marry contrasting textures and flavors into a harmonious and extremely satisfying dish. Creamy roast squash complements the somewhat leathery raw kale (don’t forget to ‘massage’ the leaves with olive oil and lemon). Sweet cranberries take on a tart little zing after soaking in red wine vinegar. The hardest part is carving the pumpkin/squash. All in all, this is a great salad for parties or family dinners at home.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
| Printable Recipe- Roasted Kabocha and Kale Salad with Cranberries |
Roasted Kabocha and Kale Salad with Cranberries
Recipe source: Cooking Light
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Recipe source: Cooking Light
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 large unpeeled green or orange kabocha squash (about 5 lb.), cut into 12 (1/2-in.-thick) wedges
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 6 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly vertically sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 (7 1/2-oz.) bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and cut into 3/4-in.-wide strips
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine pumpkin, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground coriander seeds, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, tossing gently with hands to coat.
- Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 more minutes or until pumpkin is tender and browned, turning once.
- While pumpkin roasts, combine cranberries, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat.
- Steep 15 minutes or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Place onion in a bowl of ice-cold water; let stand 10 minutes. Drain.
- Toss lemon juice, kale, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, massaging kale with hands to soften.
- Transfer kale to a large serving platter; top with pumpkin and onion. Sprinkle with cranberries.
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