It’s that time of year again when coveted late summer corn and tomatoes have been replaced with Brussels sprouts and squashes. As much as I love the lazy days of summer, my favorite time of year is fall. The cozy sweaters, verdant green leaves transitioning to crimson, and the temperatures that I call “crispy” fill me with a new sense of purpose-especially in the kitchen. This is the time I begin to make soups and stews regularly, and my kitchen becomes abundant with sturdy leafy greens and coniferous vegetables.  My salads take on autumnal combinations of ingredients as they begin to incorporate fall pairings.  Summer is associated with diverse culinary abundance, but the same can be said for autumn’s bounty.

This kale salad is my celebration of fall. It consists of almonds, apples, beets, and kale mixed with gorgonzola. The cheese’s funk complements the sweetness of the beets and apple, while the apple’s tartness pairs nicely with the almonds’ nuttiness and the punch of the shallots and garlic in the dressing.  The earthy beets pair with the bitterness of the kale.  It really is a happy fall marriage.  This salad is like your favorite cozy fall sweater. It’s nourishingly familiar, it comforts you, and it fits perfectly, in this case, with any protein. The next thing to do is to put your favorite fall movie in the cue, heat up some soup, and pair it with this delicious kale salad. 

NOTE: to make this an entrée instead of a side dish, add chickpeas, chicken, or shrimp for added protein.

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil roast them for one hour or until a knife can easily be inserted into a beet.  Unwrap the beets and let them cool.

Step 2: Toast the almonds until they are fragrant and slightly brown in color.

Step 3: Take the ribs off of the kale and place them in a bowl. Stack the leaves and roll them lengthwise and cut the rolls into strips about ¼ inch thick. Place the kale back into the bowl.  Fill the bowl with water and rinse the kale. Empty the bowl and dry the kale with paper towel.  If you have a salad spinner, place the kale in the salad spinner and fill it with water. Rinse the kale and then spin the kale dry. 

Step 4: Add the cheese, almonds, and dried cranberries to the kale. 

Step 5: Dice the apples and add them to the kale.

Step 6: Remove the skins of the beets, dice them, and add them to the kale.

Step 7: Squeeze the lemon over the ingredients in the bowl.   This will prevent the apples from turning brown. Toss the ingredients to incorporate. 

Step 8: Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, and vinegar in a large mason jar or medium bowl. 

Step 9: Run a knife through the thyme leaves to roughly chop them and add them to the mixture. Grate the garlic into the jar, mince the shallot, and add it to the mixture.

Step 10: Shake the jar or mix the ingredients together in the bowl.  Add the desired amount of dressing to the salad.