Pomegranate Salad - with Spinach, Kale, Honey Walnuts & Pomegranate Dressing

Step 1

Remove leaves: Grab the base of the stalk then run your fist up the stalk to remove the leaves.

Step 2

Slice: bundle the kale leaves on a chopping board, then slice 0.5 cm / 1/5" thick.

Step 3

Scrunch: Place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to scrunch in order to soften leaves and coat everything with the oil. Do this for 20 seconds. Leave for 30 minutes to marinate - leaves will soften. Try it - much tastier than plain raw!

Step 4

Toss: Place walnuts in a bowl, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and salt. Mix, spread on paper lined baking tray.

Step 5

Bake: Bake at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway. Leave to cool, then use fingers to roughly break walnuts up into slightly smaller pieces.

Step 6

Place ingredients in a jar and shake very well, being sure that there is no molasses left on the bottom of the jar. (Shake in jar is better than whisking to bring this dressing together).

Step 7

Cut pomegranate in half. Over a bowl, turn cut face downwards, then use a wooden spoon to (very!) firmly smack the back of the pomegranate. The seeds will fly out through your fingers into the bowl. It's very satisfying!!!

Step 8

Keep smacking all over the skin until the seeds are all out. Pick out any white pith that fell out, then use seeds per recipe. You will probably get some juices pooling in the bowl; add this to the dressing too.

Step 9

Peaches, nectarines: Halve, remove stone, then cut into 4mm / 1/6" slices.

Step 10

Grapefruit, oranges: Cut off peel and pith, then segment (see this video at 41 sec for demo)

Step 11

Dress greens lightly: Place kale and spinach leaves in a giant bowl. Drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of Dressing then toss very well.

Step 12

Layer half: Pour half kale/spinach into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1/3 EACH of walnuts, blue cheese (crumbled), pomegranates, orange segments, and cranberries.

Step 13

Presentation layer: Top with remaining kale & spinach, then remaining walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranates, orange segments and cranberries. Drizzle over remaining dressing just before serving.

Step 14

Serving: Best served freshly assembled but this salad will hold up much better than most because kale doesn't go as soggy once dressing, it's even good the next day!