Beautiful Kale Salad with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Acorn Squash, Prosciutto, and Pomegranates
This is a perfect kale salad for early fall when chanterelle mushrooms, acorn squash, and pomegranates are all in season. The addition of prosciutto and hazelnuts add a salty and crunchy complement to the sweet chanterelles and pomegranates. Chanterelle mushrooms have a fruity and peppery taste, grow wild, and are harvested by hand. They are definitely a special treat if you can find them fresh.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Red Kale ribs removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 3 ounces proscuitto
- 1 acorn squash
- 12 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 cup pomegranete seeds
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash the outside of the squash. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place cut side down on cutting board and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Discard the stem. Place slices in a large bowl, coat with a thin layer of canola oil (approximately 2 tablespoons), and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread acorn squash in an even layer. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the squash with a fork when it's done.
- While the squash is cooking, remove the ribs from the kale and chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. Add to the salad bowl. The kale benefits from a little time in acid, so we need to make the dressing now and marinate the kale.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Slowly mix in half a cup of olive oil while constantly whisking together. You want to emulsify the oil and vinegar. Add this dressing to the Kale.
- Use a pestle and mortar to break the hazlenuts roughly in half. Toast the hazelnuts in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until fragrant, but be careful not to burn them. Set aside.
- Clean the chanterelle mushrooms by giving them a gentle brushing under water (I love this mushroom brush). Chanterelle mushrooms grow in the wild and can often have a lot of dirt on them. Clean them well and dry them with a paper towel. Depending on the size of the mushrooms, you may want to cut them into smaller pieces, but keep them relatively large. The mushrooms will shrink when they cook.
- Add one tablespoon of canola oil to the cast-iron skillet and heat over medium. Add the chanterelles and season lightly with salt. Cook until browned and set aside.
- When the acorn squash is done cooking, you're ready to assemble the salad. Put all the ingredients together in your presentation bowl. I don't like to "toss" this salad, but rather, I "assemble" it. This gives me the control to make the presentation prettier. So, layer the kale on the bottom, and then add the other ingredients.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!