Tender Kale, Asian Pear and Butternut Squash Salad
5
- Prep Time10 min
- Total Time30 min
- Makes4 Servings
Photo, Jessica Kalman.
An autumn salad, but with an Asian-Canadian twist. The dressing, made by blending fried shallots, imparts a delicious roasty flavour to every ingredient it clings to. —Jannell Lo
Ingredients
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-in. cubes
1 tbsp neutral high-heat cooking oil
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp mild paprika
4 leaves lacinato or curly kale, thick stems removed, shredded
1 Asian pear or crisp apple (such as Honeycrisp), peeled and julienned
½ cup toasted walnut halves
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Fried Shallot Dressing
2 tbsp fried shallots, divided
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp GF soy sauce, tamari or fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
½ tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine squash, oil, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Spread out in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast for 30 min, tossing halfway through, until golden brown around the edges. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Dressing: Using an immersion blender in a tall cup (or a regular blender), blend 1 tbsp fried shallots, olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mustard and maple syrup until uniform in consistency.
In a large bowl, combine kale and 2 tbsp shallot dressing. Using your hands, gently massage until fully coated and tender.
Add cooled squash and Asian pears to the kale. Dress to taste with additional dressing and gently toss. Garnish with walnuts, feta and remaining 1 tbsp fried shallots.
Kitchen tips
Kitchen tips
- When making a kale salad, always dress and massage the kale before combining it with the other ingredients. This ensures your kale will tenderize, especially when it’s winter and the leaves are especially tough and hearty.
- To make this dish dairy-free, substitute the feta with 12 pitted and chopped green olives.
