Chopped Autumn Salad

Chopped Autumn Salad

One of my absolute favorite entrée salads! I love when a salad is filled with so much flavor that it doesn’t require much dressing at all. If you tend to prefer your salad more heavily dressed, I’d recommend preparing a double recipe of dressing, tossing the salad with half, and continue dressing to your taste.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 bunches Tuscan kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 cup radicchio, thinly sliced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, diced small
1 sweet red apple, cored and diced small
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced small
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Pecorino cheese, optional

Dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh chives, minced
1 1/2 tsp DIjon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté butternut squash and cremini mushrooms until tender and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine kale, radicchio, mushrooms, apple, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Toss with dressing until all ingredients are well combined. Garnish with shaved Pecorino cheese or stilton frico (see next page), if desired.

To make dressing:

Combine lemon juice, chives, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and dressing is creamy.