The fresh fruits in this salad are a nice contrast to winter’s generally heartier fare, such as soups and stews. The vibrant colors are also a welcome addition to the grey backdrop of the early winter months.
A note about persimmons: When choosing a persimmon for this salad, opt for a very ripe fruit that has a deep orange hue and is soft to the touch. Otherwise, the fruit will have a very astringent mouthfeel.
Ingredients
- Seeds of 1 large pomegranate, roughly ½ cup
- 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced on a bias
- 2 small Fuyu persimmons
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
- 4 cups mixed baby winter salad greens
- Peel of 1 large lemon, grated into long tendrils using a zester or vegetable peeler— no white pith
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ to ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Preparation
To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pecans in a bowl, add a splash of water (no more than 1 teaspoon), a light drizzle of olive oil, and agenerous pinch of salt. Put the pecans on a lined baking sheet and into the oven for approximately five minutes. When the pecans are ready, they will become fragrant and start to darken. Be vigilant about watching them as they will burn quickly.
Next, remove the seeds from the pomegranate and place them in a large salad bowl. Slice the celery into paper-thin slices and add them to your bowl. If there are any celery leaves available, you can finely chop them and add them to the mix. Remove the core of the persimmons and cut them vertically into quarters. Then, cut each quarter crosswise into ¼-inch slices.
Add the persimmon to the bowl, along with the toasted pecans, salad greens, and tendrils of lemon peel.
To dress the salad, drizzle with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine and top with cheese. Divide the salad onto plates.
