Here in the Pacific Northwest, when the days turn colder and the nights get longer, we still have some pretty great produce options to look forward to. One of our favorites is kale. Lacinato Kale to be exact. It’s widely available right now, which makes it a wintertime favorite. Lacinato Kale is a bit sweeter and less fibrous than its siblings Curly or Red Kale, making it perfect for a festive salad.

In addition, this sweet and salty salad would be wonderful on any holiday table. Honestly, it might just steal the show. Feel free to omit the prosciutto and parmesan from this recipe if you’re going for a vegan option. As a replacement, sprinkle a bit of nutritional yeast on top for that same umami, cheesy taste!

This is a large salad probably serving 6 so feel free to modify with less kale. 

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 Heads Lacinato Kale
• 2 cups butternut Squash, cut into half inch cubes
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 TB Maple syrup
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 5 slices of prosciutto
• ¼ cup shaved parmesan

For the dressing:

• ½ cup high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 TB Portlandia Foods yellow mustard
• 1 TB honey
• 2 TB Apple cider vinegar
• ½ clove garlic very finely minced to a puree
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

To assemble the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender until creamy and emulsified. Set aside.

Recipe Credit: Molly Boudreaux

 

Salad Directions

1. Remove stems from the kale and tear into bite size pieces.
   
   
2. In a bowl of cold water or a salad spinner, submerge the kale and massage it thoroughly for a minute or so. It will feel like you are crushing it but the cold water keeps it bright and crisp. Gently handling it this way softens it and makes the kale much more palatable. Allow to sit in the water for a minute longer then spin in a salad spinner.
   
   
3. Heat oven to 400 and place the prosciutto on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes until prosciutto is crisp and easily crumbles. Crumble and set aside to cool.
   
   

1. Toss the Squash cubes with 2 TB olive oil and 1 TB maple syrup. Season with salt. Using the same baking sheet you previously cooked the prosciutto on, roast your squash for approx. 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. It should be brown and crispy on the outside but still tender in the center. Set aside to cool.
   
   
   
   
2. In a small pan on the stove, toast your almonds on medium heat. Watch carefully and keep tossing until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Assemble your salad starting with the kale, then squash, almonds, prosciutto and parmesan. Dress with your vinaigrette, adding slowly until you reach the desired flavor. This salad can stand up to a lot of vinaigrette since the kale is so hearty. Enjoy!