A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe:

Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

Winter fruits and nuts still life

Welcome to recipe two in my mini festive recipe series, A Countdown to Christmas! Today’s recipe is a lovely salad, full of Christmas cheer and packed with all that is wonderful this season…….walnuts, persimmons, pomegranates and delicious curly kale – it looks like a de constructed Christmas tree in a plate! I love kale, it’s one of my favourite greens and as well as enjoying it with other recipes as an accompaniment, I also love it in salads, where the kale can sing loudly – probably Christmas carols right now! As part of the Kale Fan Club, I was sent a whole bunch of Kale goodies recently, including an apron, a wok and lots of kale of course. My mum and dad used some of it, and served it as an accompaniment to some delicious Quorn and onion mince, served with fluffy dumplings, sautéed Charlotte potatoes and stir fried Kale, and then I decided to treat us all to a festive kale salad.

Quorn and onion mince, served with fluffy dumplings, sauted charlotte potatoes and stir fried Kale.

I wanted to showcase the kale as the main ingredient and so I decided to stir-fry it with some frisée lettuce that I had lurking in the pantry and make it a main course meal for lunch one day last week.  I was delighted with the results, the iron rich kale married so well with the sweetness of the persimmons and pomegranates, and the saltiness of the cheese went perfectly with the walnuts, that had not long been picked from our tree in the back garden. It was colourful and extremely filling, and my husband pronounced it this year’s “Must Have Christmas Salad”!

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

As part of my mini series “Countdown to Christmas”, I aim to bring you some recipes that can be made with ease throughout the festive season, and I can see this salad being the perfect plate of greens for a bit of light relief between the chocolates and the roast turkey. You can mix and match with the fruit and nuts, almonds would also be great in this salad with apples and/or pears with a blue cheese – with the kale being lightly sautéed in olive oil. You can also toast your walnuts at the same time you wilt and “frazzle” your kale and frisée, so that saves a job too. Serve this stunning salad with crusty bread, cos’ you’re worth it, and maybe a glass of fizz.

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

So today, with a BIG jingle of walnuts and a scattering of pomegranate seeds, I give you my Christmas 2013 Salad, Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts……a salad that should brighten up the coldest and dullest of days and a salad that would make a great centrepiece to any festive buffet. Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you soon with my next “Countdown to Christmas” recipe. Karen

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate,Persimmon and Walnuts

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Serves	4
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	10 minutes
Total time	25 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc	Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

This colourful salad is full of taste, flavour and texture and makes a stunning winter salad for any festive occasion. Serve this as part of Christmas menu as a salad starter, or as a light lunch when you have over indulged!

Ingredients

• 200g curly Kale (finely shredded)
• 100g frisee lettuce (finely shredded)
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon walnut vinegar or sherry vinegar
• sea salt to taste
• 1 large persimmon, thinly sliced (skin on or off, sometimes the skin is bitter)
• 1 large pomegranate (cut in half and seeds scooped or knocked out)
• 50g goat's cheese (cubed or crumbled)
• 50g toasted walnuts

Note

This colourful salad is full of taste, flavour and texture and makes a stunning winter salad for any festive occasion. Serve this as part of Christmas menu as a salad starter, or as a light lunch when you have over indulged!

Directions

Step 1	Pour the walnut oil and vinegar into a large wok or sauté pan and heat up briskly. Add the kale and lettuce and sauté over a high heat until the leaves are slightly coloured and soft.
Step 2	Take the pan off the heat and drain the leaves before arranging them on a serving platter or individual plates.
Step 3	Whisk in some of the pomegranate juice into the pan, with the oil and vinegar to make a dressing and season to taste with a little sea salt.
Step 4	Arrange the persimmon slices over the frazzled leaves and then scatter the pomegranate seeds, cheese and walnuts over the top. Drizzle over the dressing in the pan and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Disclaimer:I received some seasonal kale from Discover Kale in order to make my recipes; all opinions and views are my own and I was not paid to write this post. 

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

A Countdown to Christmas Recipe: Frazzled Kale and Frisee salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon and Walnuts

Winter Fruit Still Life

Watch out for my next recipe in Countdown to Christmas:

Frosted Orange & Brandy Mince Pies

Frosted Orange & Brandy Mince Pies