Hearty Kale Salad with Kabocha Squash, Pomegranate Seeds, and Tossed Hazelnuts (Courtesy of Gena Hamshaw, Food52)
I didn’t have a pomegranate, so no pomegranate seeds, but still really delicious. You are likely to like this one even if you are not the biggest fan of kale! Makes a big salad, so you will have leftovers, which saves time! Gotta love that! Tip: Roast the squash ahead and then the salad will be super easy to make in the evening.
Ingredients
2-6 servings
1 large bunch curly kale, stems removed and discarded, torn into bite sized pieces, washed, and spun dry
1 small kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin), halved and seeded and cut into 1.5” pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 1 tbsp and 3 tbsp
¾ cups pomegranate seeds
½ cups skinned hazelnuts
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
¼ tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until golden, stopping halfway through to stir.
2. While squash is roasting, place the hazelnuts in a shallow baking dish (or a pie pan) and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes, or until they are golden. Check them frequently and remove them the moment they start to get brown. Once they’ve cooled a little, chop them roughly and set aside.
3. Whisk together the remaining olive oil, mustard, lemon, maple syrup, sea salt, and pepper. Pour 3 tbsp over the kale to begin with, and “massage” the kale well with your hands, till it’s coated in the dressing and taking on a soft, almost wilted texture. Add the remaining dressing as needed and according to tastes. Add pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts.
4. Once the squash has finished cooking and has cooled for 10-15 minutes, add it to the salad and serve.
