Winter Salad with Kale and Pomegranate

For a few Christmases in a row, my sister has made this kale and pomegranate salad that we really like, so I made it this year when my parents spent Christmas Eve with us in Texas. Maybe subconsciously, it was a way to have my sister at the table with us. It’s also a great salad for Christmas, because not only is it red and green, but it has a great mix of acidic and sweet that can help offset some of the richer dishes of the holiday. I only prepare the apple right before serving; the salad keeps well in the fridge, dressing separately, and the almonds should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. I served it with meat pie and butternut squash sweet potato casserole.

For the salad
¾ cup almonds (100 g.)
2 Tbsp. red wine balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
10-12 big leaves of kale (250-300 g.)
1 pomegranate
2 apples (I used Envy apples)

For the dressing
3 Tbsp. red wine balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Heat a pan and dry roast the almonds for 1-2 minutes. Add the balsamic and as soon as it is gone add the honey and stir for 1 minute. Transfer almonds to a baking shed lined with a silicone mat and let them cool until they are dry. Afterwards, chop them coarsely.

Wash and dry the kale. Remove the stems and use a food processor or mini chopper to chop the kale into a very fine texture. (You can use a sharp knife, but it takes longer.)

Prepare the pomegranate and cut the apple into thin boats and mix all of it with the kale. (I chopped the apples into bite-size pieces, which are less photogenic but more convenient to eat.)

Make the dressing by stirring everything thoroughly together (I like doing this in a small jar that I shake) and season to taste.

Stir everything together and serve.