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Kale, delicata squash and persimmon salad

The vegetable I eat more of than most others is kale. My kids aptly tell me that it tastes like grass, yet they eat it willingly, so I’ll take it. It is this exact flavour of the earth that attracts me. I am drawn to its verdant cruciferous-ness, its bitter edge, its rough, robust leaves. It’s a vegetable that stands and delivers. Here, it carries the sweetness of honey-like persimmons and nutty delicata squash.

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A salad with kale, sliced roasted squash, orange persimmons, green onions, cilantro, and sunflower seeds in a white bowl.

Don’t over massage your kale. Massage kale JUST ENOUGH. Just enough to tenderize the leaves, just enough to bring out its greenness, just enough to melt away its mellow bitterness. But try not to destroy its structure. You should still be able to tell it’s kale. A massage should allow kale to shine, without destroying its soul. It should only take 15 seconds.

Kale, Delicata squash and persimmon salad

Serves

Ingredients

2 Delicata squash (about 675g / 1 1/2 pounds), sliced into 1/2-inch / 1.25cm rounds, seeds discarded
extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
sea salt and black pepper
1 bunch kale, leaves removed and torn (about 4 heaped cups or 180g / 6 ounces of leaves)
2 persimmons stem removed, halved and thinly sliced
2 sliced scallions or handful chopped coriander/cilantro leaves (or both)
handful toasted almonds or walnuts, roughly chopped

Miso Mustard dressing

1 garlic clove, finely grated (I use microplane)
1.25 cm piece ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon miso paste
2 teaspoons maple syrup
6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoon water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200˚C / 400˚F.
Place the Delicata squash on a baking sheet, scatter over the cumin seeds, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Arrange in a single layer and roast until the Delicata is tender and golden on the bottom, 18 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl (big enough for all the salad ingredients) place the dressing ingredients - garlic, ginger, mustard, miso, maple, olive oil – along with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Season well with salt and pepper and whisk again. Add the kale leaves and massage the leaves in the dressing, rubbing the leaves a little, just enough to coat and soften the leaves slightly. Don’t overdo it as we still want the leaves to have structure. Leave the kale to sit for 10 minutes, or up to several hours.
To the kale, add the Delicata squash, persimmons and herbs, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. When you’re ready to eat, top with nuts.

Tips and Variations

Persimmons have a short season, so if you can’t get any, here’s how to substitute and remix for the seasons:

Northern hemisphere: apple, pear, citrus (orange, blood orange or pomelo)

Southern hemisphere: plum, cherries, mango. Swap out Delicata squash for a summer vegetable like charred green beans or barbecued/grilled eggplant. Both would work well with the dressing.