Autumnal Apple Salad

Kicking off the harvest season with this Apple Salad, a collection of simple seasonal ingredients. Loaded with texture, flavour and colour. Layers of kale and Ontario apples, drizzled with a vibrant Apple Vinaigrette, tossed with Pickled Pink Onions, topped with Pumpkin Seed Crunch

FLAVOURING COMPONENTS: Fall Salad Flavouring Kit

1 Apple Vinaigrette

2 Pickled Pink Onions

3 Pumpkin Seed Crunch

SALAD COMPONENTS

8 dinosaur & curly kale leaves

1-2 honey crisp apples

1 sprig of mint leaves

10 stalks of chives

salt & pepper

Suggested Additions: This salad is wonderful on its own, but feel free to add a few more layers of texture and flavours. Add arugula to the kale bled for a peppery kick. Add a Granny Smith apple for a little tartness. Crumble in stilton cheese or tangy goat cheese. Top with a Sprinkling of pomegranate. This salad is a great addition to a festive table or simply as a side to a grilled pork chop.

Preparing your ingredients

Kale: place the dinosaur kale flat on a cutting board, use a pairing knife to slice along one side of the stem where it meets the leaf. Repeat on the other side and remove the stem. Tear leaves into 2-4” pieces. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, spin and store in a plastic bag (this step can be prepared days ahead). Curly kale: hold stem with one hand, pull along the stem, away from you. Tear the leaves into 2-3” pieces. Soak leaves in a cold water bath, spin & store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Mint: pick over and discard wilted leaves, wash and dry in a salad spinner, set aside.

Chives: rinse and pat dry, chop into 1/4” lengths. Store chives on a paper towel and cover.

Apples: wash and wipe apples dry. Prepare a water bath, place 1 cup water into a medium sized bowl, and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cut the apple in half and core the apple. With a mandolin, slice the apples into 1/4” slices. Place sliced apples into the water bath for 5 minutes. Remove from water and rinse well.

Assemble the salad

Transfer kale leaves to a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil and massage the leaves to soften. Set aside.

Add apple slices, drizzle with Apple Vinaigrette (flavouring component 1)

Remove the Pickled Pink Onion (flavouring component 2) from the pickling liquid to strain, add the strained onions to the kale salad blend, toss gently

Adjust seasoning

TIP: use the left over pickling liquid in a vinaigrette