Kale Harvest Salad

Name: Kale Harvest Salad
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Taylor Farms Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit; 1 shallot, sliced; 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds; 2 persimmons, cut into wedges; 1 delicata squash, sliced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp garlic powder; Salt; Pepper

Persimmons, pomegranates, and delicata squash are all colorful varieties of produce that peak in the fall and seem to provide the perfect flavors to match the season. So, what better way to celebrate their annual harvests than by combining them with our Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit to create this Kale Harvest Salad recipe, courtesy of our friends over at The Heirloom Pantry?

Sure, you’ll need to set aside about 15 minutes of cooking time to make it happen, but we think you’ll find the tiny bit of extra effort more than worth it after combining it all with kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, radicchio, aged Asiago cheese, Parmesan garlic crouton crumbles, and tangy lemon vinaigrette—creating a festive and satisfying salad that will remind you of the tastes of autumn and the looming winter not far behind.

Ingredients

1 Taylor Farms Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
2 persimmons, cut into wedges
1 delicata squash, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the delicata squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut into quarter-inch slices. Gently toss the delicata squash slices in olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Arrange the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Cook in the oven for 15 minutes until golden. Remove the squash from the oven and cool.
Cut persimmons into wedges and prepare the pomegranate seeds.
In a large salad bowl, add the Taylor Farms Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit ingredients, including the greens, parmesan croutons, radicchio, and asiago cheese. Add the shallots and lemon garlic vinaigrette and toss until mixed.
Top the kale salad with persimmons, roasted delicata squash, pomegranate seeds, and freshly cracked pepper. Serve and Enjoy!

Get to Know Asiago

Asiago cheese is named after the alpine area of the Asiago plateau in Italy, where it was originally produced. (Why don’t we name more foods after the areas they are from? That just seems way easier.)

Following a pretty standard cheese-making process that involves curds and whey (but no Little Miss Muffet), Asiago cheese is then soaked in brine or rubbed with salt and dry-aged anywhere from two months to a few years. The result? A versatile semi-soft cheese with a nutty and yeasty aroma and strong, pungent flavor that’s somewhat similar to parmesan, but with a bit more complexity.

Asiago is great for cooking because it has a mild yet very noticeable flavor. And like its parmesan cousin, Asiago is ideal for soups, salads, and pasta, but it also goes great in sandwiches, pizza, bagels, and probably a lot of other dishes that could benefit from a rather inoffensive cheese. Or you can just slice some up and enjoy it with crackers or a nice crusty bread, like a baguette. Add some extra to your Kale Harvest Salad; we certainly won’t stop you.

Welcome to Class: ‘Lesser-Known Fall Produce 101’

Not familiar with some of the selections found deep in the produce section like persimmons and delicata squash? You’re probably not alone.

Delicata squash, as you might have guessed, is somewhat soft and delicate on the outside. They also look a little like decorative squash—and could probably function as decor if we’re being honest—but that would be a waste of a delicious vegetable known for its flavor that only be described as a cross between butternut squash and sweet potato.

As for persimmons, these fruits strongly resemble some varieties of tomato from the outside, but taste completely differently. With a flavor that resembles a mix of mango and roasted sweet pepper with hints of cinnamon, persimmons can be eaten like an apple is sliced onto salads like this one.
Go ahead and experiment with both of these tasty treasures—they tend to go great with almost any fall dish, but are also great on their own. Want to try more with persimmons? Try our Persimmon And Burrata Harvest Salad Recipe. Can’t get enough Delicata Squash? Try our Pearl Couscous & Delicata Squash Kale Salad. Enjoy!