Baby kale and Spiced Apple Salad
Ingredients
- For Cranberry:
- 2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Neutral Oil, like canola or soy
- For Apples:
- 1 Large Apple Cut into 12 to 16 wedges
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Neutral oil for cooking
- For salad:
- 1 Pkg baby kale or similar hearty greens
- 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
- For Vinaigrette
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Cider
- 1 Cup Neutral Oil
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300
- Toss the cranberries in a light coating of neutral oil, toss with sugar and spread out on a sheet pan with a non stick liner or sprayed parchment paper. Pop in the oven and allow to slowly roast. Check them occasionally. You want them to be wilted, firm, and maintain their shape. This can take 30 minutes to over an hour depending on the consistency of your oven. When done, set aside to cool.
- Place the pine nuts on a sprayed Sheet Pan. Toast them in the oven until golden brown (About 8 to 10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
- Mix the sugar and spices for the apples, Cut the apples and toss in the spice mix. Heat a thin coating of oil in a saute pan over high heat. Carefully, place the apples in the hot pan. Cook one side and then flip to the other (about 1 minute per side). They should have a golden brown caramel hue when done. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- make the Vinaigrette: Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender. Turn it on at low speed and increase to medium/high. With the blender running, drizzle in the oil until an emulsified dressing forms.
- To serve, start with the Kale. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl or carefully arrange on plates. You can serve the dressing on the salad or on the side. We're easy here.