This honeycrisp apple, frisee and kale salad is refreshingly sweet and perfectly crunchy. It is prepared with thinly sliced fresh apples, candied pecans, tossed with mildly bitter greens and a spiced apple cider vinaigrette. It pretty much screams fall!
It comes together with a few fresh, seasonal, good quality ingredients and they all play their equal part in making this salad delicious. And if you've never tried a honeycrisp apple before, their texture is light, crisp and perfectly crunchy. The perfect balance of sweet and tart which is key for eating raw in a salad like this.
I chose frisee for this salad because not only does it’s slight bitterness complement the tart sweetness of the apple but it also has a nice crunchy texture that holds up well in dressed salads. Baby kale is nice in this as well. Not only is it’s peak season through fall and winter, but both green are packed with nutrition and they come out really pretty in a presentation with the apples.
I like to add in candied pecans. Check out my recipe here. They offer some additional texture and the spice adds a different depth of warmth we need going into these changing seasons. Pecans and apples are a delicious, natural pairing, and compliment each other really well.
As for the homemade spiced cider vinaigrette, I use a little apple cider vinegar to keep with the apple theme, and sprinkle in some warm spices such as cinnamon and black pepper to maintain a savory-sweet vibe!
A little side note: I genuinely believe that eating seasonally is so important. You can tell the biggest differences when an apple is in season. Here in the U.S. apples generally ripen between August and September. So how are they available year-round? Well, they are available year round because of technology advances with cold storage and ways they found to store apples for more than 10 months before actually hitting grocery store shelves. Finding ways of food storage through history has been so important and I do not knock that but picking produce and eating it in its prime is just as important. Freshly picked apples are always going to have the optimal taste and nutrient profile of vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants and taste may wane in storage over time and apples are known to be especially rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant. Fun fact: The antioxidants are found mainly in the peel, not the flesh of the apple.
Plus, nothing tastes and smells quite like fruit and veggies that are that are picked and eaten in season. We have all had an apple from the grocery store that just quite isn’t right.
Anywayyy this salad is an amazing representation of fall and it could not make me happier. I hope it makes you and your taste buds just as happy!
Honeycrisp Apple, Frisee and Kale Salad with candied pecans and cider vinaigrette
Makes 4 servings
This honeycrisp apple, frisee and kale salad is refreshingly sweet and perfectly crunchy. It is prepared with thinly sliced fresh apples, candied pecans, tossed with mildly bitter greens and a spiced apple cider vinaigrette. It pretty much screams fall!
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SALAD
1 large head of frisee or about 4 cups, chopped into bite size pieces
4 cups baby kale, or baby arugula
1 cup candied pecans
1 large honeycrisp apple, sliced into matchsticks
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ tsp dijon mustard
½ tsp honey
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD:
1. For the dressing: whisk all the dressing ingredients together except the olive oil and whisk until combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil and continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is well emulsified and blended. (This recipe makes about 1 cup of dressing, so you will most likely have about half the dressing left over which you can store in the fridge.)
2. For the salad: Cut your apple into matchsticks. Simple how to video here. Once they are cut toss them in lemon juice which will keep them from browning. Add the frisee, baby kale, ¾ of the candied pecans and about half of the matchstick-sliced apples to a medium bowl and drizzle lightly with some of the spiced cider vinaigrette and toss well to the salad is dressed. Then add equal portions of the salad to bowls, plates or onto a serving platter. Now you can top each salad with equal portions of the remaining matchstick-sliced apples, garnish with the remaining candied pecans and give a generous drizzle of the vinaigrette over top.
Tips & Tidbits:
· You can prep the dressing ahead of time: You can make the spiced cider dressing ingredients and whisk as mentioned above or can add to some kind of jar such as a small mason jar with a lid and shake vigorously until combined. This homemade dressing can be made a couple of days ahead of time. It is delicious on other greens salads too! The recipe makes more than you need so use it the way you like. Make sure to take it out about a half hour before you plan on using it, to allow it come to room temp as the olive oil solidifies in cold temps.