Kale, Fuyu Persimmon, Pomegranate, Roasted Squash Salad
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 4 to 6
 
Ingredients
  • Salad:
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 2 fuyu persimmons (not hachiya)
  • 1 winter squash (such as acorn or butternut – not spaghetti)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat squash pieces
  • 1 bunch curly kale
  • 4 ounces feta, crumbled
  • 4 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (salted or unsalted)
  • Dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
  • 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons or less pomegranate juice
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds and membrane.
  2. Peel, if necessary.
  3. Cut into bite-size pieces.
  4. Toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the pieces.
  5. Place on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt.
  6. Bake in a pre-heated 425° F / 220° C oven until soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Stir once or twice during baking.
  7. Cut pomegranate in half.
  8. Place a large bowl in the sink to prevent juice from splattering on the counter. Hold one half, cut side down, in the palm of your hand and start whacking it with a wooden spoon. Drop released seeds into the bowl, removing any attached membrane. Keep whacking and slightly squeezing the half until all of the seeds have dropped out. Repeat.
  9. Strain seeds and reserve the juice.
  10. Cut the stem end off of the fuyu persimmon. (Fuyu are shaped like tomatoes and are firm, hachiya are mushy.)
  11. Peel, if desired.
  12. Thinly slice then cut into thick matchsticks or thin wedges.
  13. Cut leafy parts away from the kale stem then chop into bite-size pieces. Alternately, tear leafy parts into bite-size pieces.
  14. To assemble the salad:
  15. Place kale on a serving platter or on individual plates. Top with warm or room temperature squash, fuyu persimmons, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta cheese and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the dressing.
  16. To make the dressing:
  17. Put pomegranate molasses, sumac (if using) and up to 2 tablespoons of reserved pomegranate juice in a bowl.
  18. Whisk until combined.
  19. Continue whisking and drizzle in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  20. * If pomegranate molasses is not available:
  21. Place 4 cups pomegranate juice, ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a saucepan.
  22. Bring to a boil.
  23. Reduce heat and simmer about one hour, uncovered, until it reduces to 1 cup. It should be the consistency of honey.
  24. Store excess in the refrigerator.
  25. (If only 2 tablespoons are desired, use ½ cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.)
  26. Alternately, just reduce pomegranate juice until it reaches the consistency of honey.
Recipe by Crawfish and Caramel | Amy Eber at http://crawfishandcaramel.com/kale-fuyu-persimmon-pomegranate-roasted-squash-salad/