Fall Harvest Salad
Fall Harvest Salad is the perfect hearty salad, brimming with seasonal squash and apples, salty Roquefort blue cheese, and crunchy pumpkin seed brittle. Spelt berries and kale bulk up this salad nicely to bring it firmly into meal salad territory.
Servings 6 people
Equipment
- Immersion blender
- Parchment paper
- Stainless steel frying pan
- Large salad or serving bowl
Ingredients
Fall Harvest Salad
- 175 grams spelt berries (1 cup)
- 1 Large delicata squash
- 1 Large bunch lacinato kale, destemmed and chopped
- 175 grams red apple, cored and cubed (approximately one apple)
- 50 grams Roquefort blue cheese (1/3 cup)
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- 45 grams raw pumpkin seeds (1/3 cup)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment. While the oven is preheating, prepare the spelt berries.
- Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat. Once heated, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Rinse the spelt berries well, then transfer to the pot. Toast the grains, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the grains with 3 cups of water and season with sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. The grains will take about an hour to cook. Similar to rice, you do not want to stir the grains while cooking.
- Split the delicata squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to remove the seeds. Slice the squash into approximately half-inch half-round pieces. Transfer the squash to the lined baking sheet, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Organize the slices so none is overlapping. Roast for 35 minutes, flipping the squash after 20.
- Prepare the pumpkin seed brittle. Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-low heat. Once heated, pour in the maple syrup. It will start to bubble and steam instantly. Add the pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has reduced and coated the seeds. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the brittle to a sheet of parchment to cool.
- Allow the spelt berries and roasted squash to cool before assembling the salad. In the meantime, make the maple Dijon vinaigrette. In a jar or bowl big enough for your immersion blender to fit, add all the tangy Dijon dressing ingredients. Blitz the immersion blender to emulsify the dressing.
- Assemble the salad. To a large serving bowl, add the cooled spelt berries, kale, apple, and roasted delicata squash. Pour over the maple Dijon vinaigrette, then toss well to coat. Crumble over the Roquefort blue cheese and the pumpkin seed brittle. Toss the salad again to incorporate. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
*If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can make the tangy Dijon dressing by hand. Instead of adding all the ingredients at once, start by whisking everything but the olive oil together, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking.