HOLIDAY CITRUS KALE SALAD

HOLIDAY CITRUS KALE SALAD

by Nanny Bubby

Total Time:

1 hour

Serves:

6

Ingredients

  • 3 Heads Organic Curly Kale (Cut Chiffonade Style)
  • 8 oz. BARE freeze dried or baked apples, crumbled (My preferred brand is BARE because natural apples turn brown quickly, and the crunch of the freeze dried or baked is just so fun. )
  • 1 C. Fresh Parmesan Cheese Shavings
  • 1 Blood Orange or Navel Orange, sectioned and chopped
  • 1 C. Kumquats, sliced and seeded
  • 3/4 C. Dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds

For the Dressing

  • 2 oz. Fresh squeezed Lemon or Orange Juice
  • 2 oz. Dark Amber Maple Syrup
  • 2 oz. Apple Cider Vinegar to taste
  • 1 C. Blood Orange Flavored Olive Oil My preferred brand is Temecula Olive Oil Company.)
  • 3 Tbsp. Good Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. Lemon Zest
  • 1 Tbsp. Orange Zest

Candied Pecans

  • 2 C. Chopped Pecans
  • 1/3 C. Organic Dark Amber Maple Syrup
  • 2 tsp. French Sea Salt

Directions

  • Preheat over to 375°

Notes

Tip: Up to 2 days in advance, chiffonade the kale and store in air sealed Ziploc bags or containers.
To Candy the pecans:
Combine the chopped pecans with 1/3 cup maple syrup on a sheet pan and toss until pecans are completely covered.
Sprinkle with French sea salt and roast at least 10 minutes or until you can smell the pecans roasting and they are browned.
Tip: I suggest using a Silpat (a mat made of food-grade silicone) as it is easier to roll the pecans off the surface and make into small pieces. There is never any sticking.
Allow to cool and allow the maple syrup to harden around the pecans.
Tip: Do not touch until cool or you will lose the skin on your hand.
On day of serving, combine the kale, dried apples, pecans and 2/3 C. of the Parmesan, oranges, kumquats and cranberries or pomegranate seeds. Add the salad dressing and toss. Dressing can be placed on salad up to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top as garnish.
Directions for Salad Dressing:
Combine the lemon juice, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar, lemon and orange zest and salt and pepper to taste.
Drop in the Dijon mustard and whisk.  Then as you are adding the olive oil, whip with a wire whisk and dressing will begin to emulsify and thicken.