Christmas Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

a festive, satisfying Christmas salad with a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette that is perfect for entertaining during the holiday season serves: 8

📝 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• kosher salt, as needed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 lb halved walnuts (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
• 4 small red beets, peeled and quartered
• 4 small golden beets, peeled and quartered
• olive oil, as needed
• kosher salt, as needed
• 1 head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 head frisee, cored and torn apart (discard any dark, outer leaves)
• 2-3 large handfuls of arugula
• 1 watermelon radish, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin
• 1 wedge blue cheese, crumbled
• freshly cracked black pepper, as needed

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Pomegranate Vinaigrette ---
2. 2Combine the pomegranate juice, white wine vinegar, and honey in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
3. 3Slowly drizzle in both oils until incorporated, whisking continuously. Season with salt to taste.
4. 4Stir in the pomegranate seeds. Set aside or refrigerate until serving.
5. 5--- Candied Walnuts ---
6. 6Prepare a sheet pan with a piece of foil. Grease the foil with a light coating of oil.
7. 7Combine the brown sugar, water, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large sauté pan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture cook for a minute or so, until slightly reduced.
8. 8Add the walnuts and stir really well to fully coat. All of the liquid should be thickened and coating the walnuts. Spread the walnuts out onto the greased piece of foil in one even layer.
9. 9Season with another pinch of salt. Let the walnuts cool for 5 minutes. Use a spoon to gently stir the nuts to ensure they aren’t sticking to the foil. Let cool completely.
10. 10--- Christmas Salad ---
11. 11Preheat the oven to 425° Toss the cremini mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, and beets with a light drizzle of olive oil (keeping each separate).
12. 12Spread the cremini mushrooms onto a foil-lined sheet pan and season with a pinch of salt. Roast for 8 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate lined with paper towels.
13. 13Meanwhile, spread the portobello mushrooms and beets onto a foil-lined sheet pan and season with a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Transfer the portobello mushrooms to a plate lined with paper towels.
14. 14Continue to roast the beets for 10 more minutes. Let all the vegetables cool until ready to serve.
15. 15Combine the radicchio, frisee, arugula, and watermelon radishes in a large bowl. Add all of the cooled, roasted vegetables. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette.
16. 16Taste the salad and season as needed with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Plate the salad in a large serving bowl or platter. Garnish with the candied walnuts and crumbled blue cheese.