Description
Winter greens dance with pomegranate seeds and candied pecans in this elegant salad from Mediterranean cuisine. Crisp kale and tender spinach blend beautifully with tangy goat cheese, creating a harmonious symphony of seasonal flavors you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 1 ripe pomegranate or 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 2 large oranges, pears, or apples
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
Garnish/Topping:
- Pepitas or maple-cinnamon pecans
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Craft the maple-cinnamon pecans as per the recipe’s supplementary instructions, ensuring a crisp and flavorful addition to the salad.
- In a sealed glass jar, blend all dressing components, incorporating precisely of salt and pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
- Vigorously shake the dressing mixture, then refrigerate until the salad assembly moment, giving it another robust shake before application.
- Transfer mixed salad greens into a spacious mixing bowl, gently coating them with approximately half of the prepared dressing to ensure uniform flavor distribution.
- Carefully introduce sliced citrus oranges, diced pears, or chopped apples into the greens, complementing them with vibrant pomegranate arils and tart dried cranberries.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the composed salad, fine-tuning the quantity to achieve the desired moisture and flavor intensity.
- Generously garnish the salad with toasted pepitas or the previously prepared maple-cinnamon pecans, then crumble your selected cheese across the top for a luxurious finish.
- Serve the salad immediately to preserve the crisp texture of the greens and maximize the sensory experience of the carefully assembled ingredients.
Notes
- Prep pecans ahead of time to enhance flavor and add delightful crunch to the winter salad.
- Shake dressing vigorously in a sealed jar to blend ingredients thoroughly and create smooth, well-mixed consistency.
- Use fresh, crisp greens for maximum texture and ensure they are completely dry before tossing with dressing.
- Balance fruit selections between sweet and tart options like oranges, pears, and pomegranate arils for complex flavor profile.
- Serve salad immediately after adding nuts and cheese to preserve the perfect mix of temperatures and textures.
- Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, giving it a quick shake before each use.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg