Fall Farmers Market Chopped Salad
The salad ingredients are the deep green, orange, and crimson fruit and vegetables fresh at the fall markets now, and the Maple Citrus Vinaigrette picks up the sweet, layered notes of Valencia Orange Peel flavor.
serves 4-6 people
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
- 2 cups baby kale or other slightly bitter greens like wild arugula
- 2 cups little gem lettuce leaves or other crisp lettuce like chopped Romaine lettuce
- 2 cups radicchio leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- Maple Citrus Vinaigrette see below
- 1 small butternut squash about 1½ pounds, peeled, sliced, and roasted
- 2 carrots thinly sliced lengthwise into ribbons
- 1 tart green apple cored and thinly sliced
- 2 persimmons thinly sliced
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup pickled red onions
- ¾ cup feta cheese crumbled
- optional ingredients to include if available at the Farmers' Markets: thinly sliced watermelon radish daikon, or other type of radishes, roasted sliced sweet potatoes, avocados (if still available), late-season figs, fresh or dried cranberries
In a large bowl, toss baby kale, little gem lettuces, and radicchio leaves with ¼ of the Maple Citrus Vinaigrette. Place dressed greens in large salad serving bowl or platter.
Arrange the roasted butternut squash, carrot ribbons, green apple slices, persimmon slices, and any other optional salad ingredients you might be using artfully around the greens on the serving platter. Sprinkle the salad with toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds, pickled red onions, and crumbled feta cheese.
Serve with additional Maple Citrus Vinaigrette alongside, warm crusty grilled bread with soft salty butter, and of course, iced tea.