Each season I like to work on a seasonal salad, one that can be made over and over again with the ingredients in my pantry and in my crisper. I try to keep things simple but I always tend to include fresh fruit, dried fruit, and nuts. The dressing I've made for this salad is garlicky and delicious and stands up nicely against the greens.
The best thing about salads is that you can tweak them to suit your own tastes and your stash of produce. However, if you're like me, when you find one combination that you love, you'll make it over and over again. This is the salad that I've been making all autumn.
Shari's Autumn Salad
a mix of greens (I used baby kale, baby chard, frisee, radicchio, spinach and some hardier lettuces)
an apple (Use your favorite variety)
golden raisins
pecans
two garlic gloves
Dijon mustard
white balsamic vinegar
1/4 lemon
3 T olive oil
Fill a medium salad bowl with your greens. If any of the leaves are large, tear them into smaller pieces. Cut the apple into matchsticks (Peel or leave unpeeled, your choice). Add to greens. Add in a few handfuls of golden raisins. Chop a large handful of pecans and add those as well.
Dressing (Adapted slightly from Hugh Acheson's A New Turn in the South)
Add 3 TB olive oil to a bowl. Squeeze in a 1/4 of a lemon. Add a splash of white balsamic vinegar. Stir in a heaping teaspoon of whole grain Dijon mustard. Add two pressed garlic cloves (If you don't love garlic, reduce this amount or omit). Whisk together.
Add dressing to the greens and toss.
Do you have a favorite salad combination for autumn?
Not yet, but I believe your matchstick apples will figure into my new favorite autumn salad combination. I'm loving Fuji apples lately.
ReplyDeleteYes! I've got two so far: arugula with roasted butternut (or other winter squash) and pecans, and mixed greens plus black lentils, roasted beets, goat cheese, and almonds (or other nuts). You've inspired me to incorporate some dried fruit.
ReplyDeleteSounds so good!! Do you like A New Turn in the South? I'm really trying to put my cookbook buying on a long-term hiatus but have so enjoyed his CSA etc cooking ideas, thanks to you!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh, what a wonderful crunchy-sweet addition those matchstick apples!!! must repeat...
ReplyDelete(Amelia from www.ztastylife.com)
Yum...I'm totally making this! I love the garlic in your dressing.
ReplyDeleteI like any salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, a little red onion, and apples...just a little bit of olive oil for dressing and any greens will do!