What’s in Season?
Every Sunday, I head to the farmers market to find what is in season, and plan my menu accordingly. I often plan based on what I saw the week before and hope will be there again. One night this week, in the wee hours, I was lying awake, trying to figure out what to pair with a rosé from Austria. You can read more about the wine on the Provence WineZine. I wrote down some notes and created today’s Autumn Salad, hoping it would work. (Spoiler alert: it did.)
This salad is made of autumnal goodness — pumpkin, kale, shiitake mushrooms, walnuts, pomegranate seeds (from our tree), and chèvre. I mix it all with cooked farro (I get Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro — I cook it for 12 minutes!) and add a vinaigrette with a culinary secret weapon.
What’s this? A secret ingredient? Truthfully, it’s such a mundane ingredient that I’m embarrassed to say. I started using it when a recipe called for fresh apple cider and I couldn’t find any. So I improvised, bought frozen apple juice concentrate, and used it without diluting it. Since then, I’ve used a spoonful here and there for salad dressings and glazes on chicken and pork. Once I open the container, I pour the syrup into a jar and keep it in the freezer; even frozen you can easily scoop out a tablespoon or two for whatever you need.
Finally, I finish the salad servings with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil; it really pulls everything together nicely. Mine was a gift from friends who had traveled to Croatia, but you can find it online. Of course, you don’t need to use the pumpkin oil — the salad is still fantastic without it.
~ David
Autumn Salad
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked farro (see note)
- extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- 1 small pumpkin or butternut squash (1 pound after peeling), in 3/4-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- a generous grating of nutmeg
- 3 ounces kale, coarsely chopped or torn (stems removed)
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, quartered
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 3 ounces chèvre, crumbled
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds, more as needed.
- sea salt, as needed
- freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate (undiluted)
- 1 teaspoon honey Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons herb vinegar
- pumpkin seed oil, optional
Instructions
- Note: This salad is served warm or at room temperature; it is assembled for serving, so don’t worry if all the ingredients are not ready at the same time.
- To make the toasted kale, preheat oven to 275°F. Place kale in a bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment and spread out so it is mostly in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet.
- Increase oven heat to 400°F. Toss diced pumpkin in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and nutmeg. Spread on a large baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the oven and roast until golden brown — about 30 minutes for pumpkin and 20 minutes for butternut squash — until tender. Cool on the baking sheet.
- Cook farro per package instructions (see note). Drain and season well with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook till clear — about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms to the skillet with the shallot. Increase heat to medium-high and sauté for several minutes without stirring, then season with salt, stir, and continue cooking until nicely browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the apple juice concentrate, the honey Dijon mustard, and vinegar.
- When everything is cooked, toss the farro with the pumpkin (or squash), mushrooms, walnuts and the dressing. Add the crumbled goat cheese, kale, and pomegranate seeds, and toss gently. Serve with additional pomegranate seeds and drizzle with the pumpkin seed oil.
- Makes 4 very hearty main course servings, or serves 8 as a side dish.
- Note: I use Trader Joe’s farro and it takes only about 12 minutes; regular farro can take about 45 minutes)
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
October 5, 2024 at 6:08 amThat looks and sounds delicious – the apple juice gives it a bit of a Mexican feel, while the pomegranite is positively Levantine. Your Kale looks beautiful – I’ve got caterpillars after my Cavalo Nero!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:03 pmWe had caterpillars after our kill, too. I guess they have to eat, as well. We use cavolo nero mostly to make kale chips for hors d’oeuvres, such a wonderful plant! I never think of the apple juice as Mexican. Any thoughts as to why that seems Mexican to you?
Mad Dog
October 6, 2024 at 7:09 amI was thinking cider vinegar, which is quite popular in Mexican pork dishes (like tacos), though it’s likely to be used as a substitute for citrus vinegars, which are less common outside of Mexico.
David Scott Allen
October 6, 2024 at 7:36 amAh, of course! I just never associate the flavor of apple with the vinegar.
Barb
October 5, 2024 at 7:26 amBeautiful salad, perfect for the Austrian rosé! Both sound delicious and are a clever way to eat fall foods at 106 degrees!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:01 pmYes, we are hoping the weather cools down this week. We might even stay in the 90s! Because we both grew up in New England and have a real love for the comfort food from that region, we do make it year-round. (And we are truly grateful for our air conditioning.) it was really good with the rosé!
Jill W Becker
October 5, 2024 at 9:17 amBeautiful. Must try this. Happy Thanksgiving you and Mark.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:01 pmThanks, Jill! I hope you enjoy it.
Gaelen
October 5, 2024 at 10:14 amcan’t wait to try this! I just got my first hard squash of the autumn season (a variety called “brulee” which is smaller and sweeter than butternut) and i’m all about lacinato kale. thanks for dreaming this up!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:00 pmIt was my pleasure, Gaelen! I’m glad you like the recipe, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
Mimi Rippee
October 5, 2024 at 11:11 amI love this salad, and it’s so beautiful. I also think grain salads should be served warm. And for Thanksgiving? Brilliant!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:00 pmHaven’t eaten it for a couple of days, I do agree that it’s best warm but it’s still really good at room temperature. I might serve this as an alternative to stuffing!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
October 5, 2024 at 12:03 pmThis sounds like a delicious and filling salad, perfect for the fall.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 5, 2024 at 12:04 pmThanks, Karen. We’ve enjoyed it very much over the past couple of weeks, as I’ve made it several times. It’s become a new favorite.
FEL!X
October 5, 2024 at 6:07 pmSalads and other dishes based on farro (emmer, spelt) or barley I like very much!
Your seasonal combination sounds mouth-watering!
David Scott Allen
October 6, 2024 at 7:36 amThanks, Felix — it was fun to create!
Ronit Penso
October 6, 2024 at 9:23 amKale and I don’t get along, but I’ll take the rest of this tasty salad anytime. I’ll definitely look for Trader Joe’s’ ten minutes farro, as I’ve never noticed it before. The use of apple juice concentrate is brilliant! 🙂
angiesrecipes
October 7, 2024 at 2:39 amI have been buying, cooking and eating lots of mushrooms, chestnuts and pumpkins lately…the salad looks fabulous!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
October 8, 2024 at 5:21 amAnd what a lovely salad it is, David! It’s comforting to hear I’m not the only one who lies awake in the wee hours figuring out what the cook the next day.
Jeff the Chef
October 8, 2024 at 6:59 amYou might think your secret ingredient is mundane, but I think it’s genius! I love apple cider, but unfortunately, most of what you can buy is so bland. I know of a few, precious places where I can buy it unpasteurized, but then I hardly want to cook with it – I just want to drink it all! So, when I need to use cider in a recipe, I’m going to definitely try your secret!
Raymund
October 8, 2024 at 4:07 pmThis Autumn Salad sounds absolutely delightful, David! I love how you incorporate seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, kale, and pomegranate seeds from your own tree, such a nice touch!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
October 11, 2024 at 2:11 pmThis is my kind of salad – delicious, colourful, satisfying, and packed with some great autumn flavours. Ben approves 🙂
2pots2cook
October 15, 2024 at 5:35 amBEAUTIFUL PUMPKIN PHOTO! JUST BEAUTIFUL!
Marcelle
October 18, 2024 at 8:12 amDavid, this salad is stunning on the plate and it’s calling my name with the autumnal ingredients. I saw your comment that this could be a substitute for stuffing, I totally agree. What an upgrade for Thanksgiving dinner 🙂 I love your secret weapon, thanks for sharing!! Beautiful photos too (as always!!)
Inger
October 27, 2024 at 7:10 amBeautiful salad! I love your farmers market David! Sadly ours have all closed–I wish they could have pivoted since with the warm fall weather, farms are still producing.
sherry
October 29, 2024 at 10:57 pmsounds great David, but kale? – just no. You know what i always say – some really clever farmer decided to stop feeding it to his cows, and then started selling it to humans. very clever :=)
cheers
sherry
Karen (Back Road Journal)
November 3, 2024 at 8:29 amFantastic fall salad. I definitely wouldn’t skip the pumpkin seed oil, it has such great flavor.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 3, 2024 at 9:04 pmI kind of figured you would know about pumpkin seed oil, with your travels to that region. It does make for a wonderful finish.
Christina Conte
November 16, 2024 at 8:56 amBeautiful photos and the salad looks fantastic! I love kale, always cooked and more recently in salads (thanks to my daughter). 🙂