Apple cranberry pecan salad

Photo: Damn Delicious

Massaged kale with crisp bacon, apple, celery, cranberries, feta and spiced candied pecans in a shallot-cider dressing. The salad that sits next to the turkey and gets finished first.

From Chungah Rhee at Damn Delicious · @damn_delicious

Massaging the kale in the dressing for a minute softens it, so it can sit dressed on the table without going limp.

You need

• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 large bunch kale, stems removed, shredded
• 1 medium apple, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• For the pecans: 1 large egg white, 1/3 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional), 2 cups pecan halves

How to make it

1. For the pecans, heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the egg white until frothy, then whisk in the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne. Toss in the pecans, spread them out and bake about 30 minutes, stirring every 10, until dry and crisp. Cool.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, and drain on paper towels.
3. Whisk the vinegar, shallot and Dijon in a large bowl and let it stand 5 minutes. Whisk in the oil and honey and season.
4. Add the kale and massage it in the dressing for 1 minute.
5. Top with the bacon, apple, celery, cranberries, feta and a big handful of pecans and toss gently.

Written in our own words from Chungah Rhee's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Apple cranberry pecan salad, Damn Delicious.

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