Lots of Thanksgiving side dish ideas from our archives:
- Roasted herbed spaghetti squash
- Simple garlic green beans
- Sweet potato hummus
- Smashed potatoes and leeks
- Maple-glazed carrots
- Spinach-pesto pull apart bread
- Homemade pumpkin puree
- Creamy zucchini rice
- Tips on making a side salad
- Veggie-stuffed twice baked potatoes
- Spinach artichoke dip
Today I've got a really, really easy (almost embarrasingly easy) side salad for you. This recipe uses a mix of spinach and kale, but if you find kale too bitter, use all kale. I also have a recipe for a really delicious yogurt and tahini dressing that I basically lifted from the cookbook It's All Good by Gwyenth Paltrow and Julia Turshen. If you have no interest in making your own, my favorite dressing from Trader Joe's and this poppy seed dressing from Briana's would both be a great substitute.
I get two generous servings or four small servings out of this salad, so if you're expecting a crowd make sure to double this recipe. As is often the case with salads, the measurements below are more "guidelines" and it's pretty easy to eyeball this and make adjustments as you see fit.
On to the salad!
First, gently toast 1/4 cup (1 ounce) sliced almonds in a pan over low heat. Watch carefully, as they will burn easily. You'll know they're finished when the smell of the almonds becomes pungent. Set aside to cool.
Next, make the dressing. Whisk together 3 tablespoons tahini with 1/4 cup very hot (or boiling) water. Then add 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small finely diced (or grated) garlic clove, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Vigorously whisk until it is well combined then set aside.
Roughly chop 4 cups (about 3.5 ounces) spinach and chop 2 cups (about 1.5 ounces) kale into smallish pieces (like below). Remove as much of the thick center stem from the kale as you can. Add to a serving bowl and toss to combine. I measure out the kale and spinach after chopping by gently and lightly packing it into a 2-cup liquid measuring cut. I find that is the easiest way to measure out greens.
Add 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (or seeds) and the almonds to the lettuce and kale.
You can easily make this salad and dressing a few hours or a few days in advance. Just store the dressing and salad dressing separately and dress 1-2 hours before serving. Unlike lettuce, spinach and kale won't wilt quickly if they sit in dressing for a long time. I also find the salad tastes a bit better if it sits with the dressing for an hour or so before eating (just make sure to let it sit in the refrigerator).
Tips:
- Nuts: Chopped pecans would be a good substitute for the sliced almonds.
- Kale: I used flat-leaf dino kale (sometimes called lactino kale) from my garden, but any variety would work.
- Tossing the salad: I frequently use a gallon-sized ziptop bag to dress salads, particularly when I'm using a creamy dressing. Add the dressing to the bottom, add the salad ingredients, seal closed, then shake like crazy until the salad is well coated.
- Dressing: This recipe makes a fair amount of dressing (1-1 1/2 cups). I frequently have a jar of this stuff hanging out in the fridge (it stores well for about a week). Just shake it up if the liquids start to separate.
- Pomegranate arils: You can either cut up your own pomegranate, or purchase pre-cut pomegranate arils (I've seen them in the refrigerated area of the produce section, usually near the pre-bagged salads).
- Opening a pomegranate: Basically, it's messy and takes a bit of time. You'll find loads of tutorials and such for opening a pomegranate with a quick online search (like this one). Basically, you cut the pomegranate in half (I thinly slice off both ends first to make it easier), then break open the halves in a large bowl of cold water. The white membranes float to the top (mostly!) and the arils sink to the bottom, making it easier to separate the arils from the rest of the pomegranate. It's a bit tedious, but pretty easy.
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