The other day I was looking in my refrigerator and noticed some left over kale from our Sausage and Kale Soup that we had earlier in the week. It was begging to be made into this delicious Winter Salad recipe. It is the perfect gorgeous salad to make to go with your holiday dinner. A good winter salad recipe takes seasonal ingredients and combines them in the perfect way. Pears, pomegranates, and citrus fruit are all in season in winter and when they are combined with the other delicious ingredients it makes for the perfect flavorful salad.
Storing
Leftovers of this salad can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I suggest using only the tablespoon of dressing on the salad and letting guests dress their salad. This way the leftovers won’t be overdressed and they will last well in the refrigerator. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
Kale: This is such a reach leafy green. Read more below on how to pick out and work with kale. A great alternative, if you aren’t a fan of kale, would be baby spinach. Pine Nuts: These add a little protein, healthy fat, and some delicious flavor to the salad. Blue Cheese: I love how blue cheese pairs with the other ingredients in this salad, especially pear. I you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, goat cheese and feta is delicious here. Pear: Crisp ripe pears are so great in winter recipes. They bring a great crunch to this recipe. Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranate arils add a tart flavor to the salad that is perfection. If the texture isn’t your thing, replace them with dried cranberries. Crispy Leeks: Read how to make crispy leeks below. If you don’t like leeks, very thinly cut red onion would be delicious here. Citrus Dressing: We are going to make a vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, and orange juice that compliments the ingredients so well.
If you think you don’t like kale, it might just be that it’s never been prepared well for you. It is such a thick and fibrous green, it really needs to be treated before tossed in a salad. To do that, you will want to massage it with lemon juice, salt, or salad dressing. That will tenderize the kale and make it perfect for the salad. For this recipe, massage a tablespoon of the dressing into the kale before adding the rest of the ingredients to the salad.
Roasted Green Beans Crispy Brussels Sprouts Cranberry Orange Relish
If you make this salad recipe or any of my other sides, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
