This beautiful salad has a wonderful and surprising mix of flavors. Sweet apples, pomegranates, pumpkin seeds and bleu cheese are beautifully accented with a vinaigrette of apple cider and cinnamon.
Servings: 11/3 cups dressing; 4 salads
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1/3cupapple cider vinegar
1/4cupapple cider
2tablespoonsreal maple syrup
4teaspoonsbrown sugar
2teaspoonshoney mustard
1teaspoonsea salt
1teaspoonvery finely grated onion
1/2teaspooncinnamon
1/2cupneutral salad oil (see Notes)
For the salad:
5-6ounces(weight) salad greens
1red apple, cored and julienned (I prefer honey crisp, fuji, or gala)
1/2cuppomegranate arils
1/2cuppumpkin seeds
blue cheese crumbles
prepared orange juice for keeping the julienned apples from turning brown.
Instructions
For the Dressing: Whisk together, or whirl in a blender, all ingredients EXCEPT the oil. Slowly drizzle oil into ingredients while whisking briskly or whirling in blender. Cover and allow to sit in refrigerator for at least an hour to let flavors develop. Makes 1 1/3 cups dressing.
For the Salad: Toss julienned apples in a little orange juice to keep them from turning brown. Drain well. Divide greens between four salad plates. Top with apples, pomegranate arils, pumpkin seeds, and blue cheese crumbles.
Allow each guest to top salad with salad dressing. Store left-over dressing in refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
Oil: My favorites are walnut oil or grape seed oil. I have also used canola oil, but its flavor is slightly heavier.