
FALL BRIDGE—By Leonid Afremov (http://afremov.com/cats.php)
There is plenty of cool weather produce available in the fall that you can make into delicious, seasonal salads.
Apples
Apples are plentiful during the autumn months. For salads, choose varieties that are sweet and crisp. Popular salad apples include Red Delicious, Fuji and Winesap. Buy firm apples that smell fresh and have smooth skins.
Pears
It’s also the time of year to sample all types of pears. Select those with even color and a slight blush. Be careful when handling pears because they are delicate and bruise easily. Although there are thousands of known pear varieties in the world, there are a handful recognized especially for their superb flavor and fresh eating qualities, such as Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc and Comice.
Tip: To keep pear slices from browning, sprinkle them with lemon juice or serve them immediately after slicing.
Cranberries
Fresh cranberries are very tart and are usually sweetened before they go into a salad. Dried cranberries add beautiful color and sweet chewiness to salads.
Grapes
Grapes are harvested when sweet and ripe, so look for plump clusters that are firmly attached to green stems. Once at home, refrigerate grapes until ready to use and then rinse with cold water, halve them and mix them into your favorite salad.
Beets
Fall beets come in red, pink, orange, yellow and white varieties, as well as a range of sizes. Both the bulbous root and the leafy stalk are edible. For salads, select small to medium beets with firm, smooth skin and no soft spots or punctures. Those with stems and leaves still attached are best. The foliage should be green and fresh-looking. Store beets, greens and all, in a produce bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Tip: Use disposable latex gloves from the drugstore when peeling beets. They’re thin enough to allow dexterity while protecting your hands from stains.
Fennel
Fennel is available in the fall and adds a hint of fresh sweet licorice flavor to any salad. This aromatic plant is pale green with a celery-like stem and feathery foliage. Its root base and stems can be treated like a vegetable and baked, braised or sliced and eaten raw in salads. The greenery can be used as a garnish or snipped like dill to enhance many recipes. Fennel’s licorice-like flavor is sweeter and more delicate than anise and, when cooked, becomes even milder and softer than in its raw state.
Cabbage
The cabbage family is wide and varied: broccoli and cauliflower are members. Some of the best heads of cabbage for salads are the crinkled-leaf “Savoy” types, also sold as Napa, January King or Wivoy cabbage. These are thin-leafed, tender and mild. When choosing a head of cabbage, look for fresh, crisp leaves that are firmly packed; the head should feel heavy for its size.
Cauliflower and Broccoli
These vegetables are available year-round, but they are especially plentiful in the spring and fall. When buying cauliflower, select one that is white or creamy white in color, firm and heavy. Cauliflower may be stored for up to one week in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Keep it dry and any brownish colored portions may be trimmed away before cooking.
When shopping for broccoli, look for leaves and stems with dark green heads. Look for tender, young stalks that are firm with compact buds in the head. Yellow flowers in the buds or very rough bumpy heads may indicate the broccoli is past its prime.
Fall Spinach Salad
Serves 1
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
- 1/2 of an apple, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons grated carrot
- 1/4 of an avocado, peeled and diced
- 1-2 tablespoons balsamic salad dressing, or to taste
Directions
Stir the balsamic vinegar and honey together in a bowl; slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture while whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper.
Place spinach, cranberries, pecans, apple, onion, carrot and avocado into a salad bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Wild Rice, Kiwi and Grape Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup wild rice
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans
Directions
Place broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain excess liquid, cover and let cool.
Whisk together lemon juice, oil and honey in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved. Season with salt and pepper.
Place cooled rice in a salad bowl, along with kiwi, grapes and pecans. Add dressing, gently toss and serve.
Cabbage Salad – Waldorf Style
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 head savoy cabbage
- 4 unpeeled apples, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 6 stalks celery, diced
- 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Slice cabbage into thin pieces 1 to 2 inches long. Do not use the large ribs of the cabbage, as they are too strongly flavored for this salad.
In a large serving bowl, toss together the cabbage, apples, walnuts and celery.
In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, honey and salt. Mix with the cabbage salad until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Beet, Fennel and Apple Salad
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 medium cooked red beet, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 medium crisp tart apple such as Granny Smith, cored and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup firmly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, toss together the beets, fennel, apple and parsley. Add the dressing and mix gently to coat all of the ingredients evenly. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. (If refrigerating, remove from the refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes before serving.
Fall Fruit & Nut Salad
6 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashew halves
- 4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 (10 ounce) package mixed salad greens
- 1 medium Bosc pear, thinly sliced
- 1 cup halved seedless red grapes
Directions
In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast cashews until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove cashews to a dish to cool slightly.
Return skillet to medium-high heat, cook bacon strips until crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Coarsely chop bacon.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the bacon, rosemary, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and toasted cashews.
In a small bowl, stir together white wine vinegar, mustard and honey. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large salad bowl, toss half the dressing with the greens, pear slices, grapes and sprinkle with nut/bacon mixture.
Serve with the remaining dressing in case anyone wants additional dressing on their salad.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
Love your salads. This fall I’ve vowed to eat more beets! Add fennel and apple to eat – YUM! Pears also are great in a salad. Thank you from reminding me! Buona giornata.
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you for your wonderful enthusiasm, Marisa.
ohiocook
Reblogged this on My Meals are on Wheels.
Ocean Bream
I have never tried a combination of fruits and veg in a salad before, however my mother in law puts mangoes and pomegranates in her regular salad with avocado, cucumber, pepper, lettuce and tomatoes and it is delicious! Also your recipes look absolutely divine, so I will tentatively exit my salad comfort zone and have a bash at it! Thank you for sharing, my mouth is literally watering!
Jovina Coughlin
Time to try something new. let me know if you like the salad you try. Thanks for taking time to comment.
Ocean Bream
I certainly will do. I’m putting the ingredients on my shopping list for tomorrow! 🙂
fabiolaofmexico
Wow! Those salad recipes look delicious! I specially love the fruit and veggie combinations. This is going to Pinterest 🙂
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you so much and I appreciate your comment.
bksferg@gmail.com
Now this is a new approach. Love it.
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Our Growing Paynes
I think my husband would like the beet, fennel, and apple salad. Very pretty.
Vinny Grette
What a useful post! I kept pears from browning by poaching them in lemon juice. Then I made a pie. Then I turned the poaching liquid into a delicious syrup (by accident…). If you like pears and chocolate – check this out – I recently discovered a delicious pear syrup by accident, after poaching some pears for a pie! – The poaching liquid, reduced, was pure gold :). – https://cookupastory.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/chocolate-and-pear-tart-for-marie-laure/
Jovina Coughlin
I will. Thank you.
Vinny Grette
I like your painting, too
Jovina Coughlin
Leonid Afremov is a favorite of mine.
Health News Library
I have been eating fennel now again since two tears ago. I have a few recipes using fennel, and I would like to add the Beet, Fennel and Apple Salad to my collection!!
Fennel is great tasting piece of produce!!!