When the fall weather turns cool and crisp and the days get shorter and darker, we sometimes slip into a blue mood. We crave sunshine and brightness. A crisp, balanced salad with tangy-sweet fall flavors is just what the doctor ordered!
We developed this salad to celebrate the the flavors and textures we love — crunchy and aromatic fennel — honey-sweet persimmons — juicy-tart pomegranate seeds — earthy walnuts — and velvety mâche leaves, all tied together with a bright and tangy vinaigrette.
A composed salad is a salad in which each component is seasoned and dressed individually and then artfully arranged. It’s an excellent choice for a leisurely lunch. Take it to the the next level with some grilled shrimp or soft dollops of goat cheese and it becomes a quick and easy dinner.
The Dear Martini method of building the composed salad is also mirrored in our Bite-Sized Technique videos: you can actually watch a video for each component needed for this salad! Click on the blue links to jump to each technique video — we promise you’ll learn something awesome!
Persimmon, Fennel, and Mâche Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 fuyu persimmons, peeled and sliced
½ fennel bulb and fronds, bulb thinly sliced and fronds chopped
4 cups mâche lettuce
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, thyme, and shallot with a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil and continue whisking until dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Just before you are ready to serve, season and dress with vinaigrette each of the salad ingredients in separate bowls and then arrange on a platter or individual plates.
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