Salads are not just for sunny days. In the depths of winter, a salad can be a wonderful thing; full of nourishing ingredients and vibrant flavours to ward off colds and cheer the spirits. In many ways, a good winter salad is more exciting than a summer salad. It’s an unexpected injection of flavour at this cold and dark time of year.
I love interesting salads, packed with interesting flavours and textures. A good salad is a deeply satisfying meal, and this is one of my very favourite winter salads. I adore kale and love it raw in salads. The key is carefully preparing the leaves, picking out any stalks or tough stems, and ensuring that the leaves are shredded into small pieces.
This salad is just wonderful enjoyed on its own, or with some lamb kofte or meatballs to turn it into a complete meal. It’s one I make time and time again at this time of year. I hope you love it too.
Kale, spinach, pomegranate and walnut salad
Charlotte Pike
Serves 4, generously
Ingredients
3 red onions, thinly sliced
25g butter
200g kale, stalks removed and sliced into thin strips
500g baby spinach
25g walnuts, chopped
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
1 bunch dill, chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Juice from ½ lemon
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
Pinch caster sugar
Sea salt
Olive oil
Method
Gently fry the onions in the butter for around 15 minutes until translucent. Set aside and leave to cool.
Once the onions have cooled, combine all the ingredients together, gently tossing to ensure the leaves are evenly dressed. Add enough olive oil to lightly dress the leaves. Season to taste. Serve immediately.