How do you dazzle family and friends this Christmas season? With this simple to make but sure to impress salad. Not only does it incorporate all the expected flavours of the season (slightly sweet and tangy clementines, juicy and red pomegranate seeds and toasted pecans) it is dressed with a delicious pomegranate vinaigrette. This is so freaking good people will actually forget they are eating a nutritional powerhouse of a salad. Besides all that it’s so pretty. Serve this with my Crustless Quiche to keep everyone full until dinner.
You will want to start by getting your pickled onions pickling and your pecans toasted.
Scroll down the page for the ingredients and instructions.
Serves: 4 – 6
Author: Cassie Elliott
Prep time: 10 minutes
Assembly time: 5 minute
Ingredients (Salad):
- 8 cups spinach and arugula
- 1 clementine or Japanese orange
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 – 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- Quick pickled red onions*
- Spicy maple pecans*
Instructions:
- Rinse spinach and arugula and set on paper towel to dry.
- Remove peel from orange and slice into rounds.
- Cut avocado in half, remove pit and slice. Scoop out of skin with spoon and slice.
- Cut pomegranate in half and remove seeds.
- Place greens and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Add pomegranate vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Add onions, avocado, pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.
*Quick Pickled Red Onions:
- One large red onion sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds
- 3 -4 cuts of water
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 black peppercorns
- 1 clove of garlic
- Fill kettle with 3 – 4 cups of water and heat to a boil.
- Place onion in metal sieve over sink and pour boiling water over top.
- Add 5 black peppercorns and 1 clove of garlic, halved to glass jar.
- Add ¾ cup apple cider vinegar to jar.
- Add onion to the glass jar and stir gently to incorporate the flavours.
Your onions will be ready in about 30 minutes but are better the longer they sit. They will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
*Spicy Maple Pecans:
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
Instructions:
- Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
- Add pecans and cook until fragrant. Stir occasionally to keep from burning.
- Remove from heat.
- In a small saucepan heat all other ingredients over medium heat until hot and bubbly.
- Pour over pecans. Stir to coat evenly.
- Spread out on parchment paper lined cookie sheet and allow to cool.
- Break up and eat!
Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup good quality olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a jar with a lid. Close lid and shake vigorously to combine.
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