L ifestyles /C ulture
Autumn Salads
F O OD
WHEN SUMMER gradually
gives way to fall, I’m never quite
ready to give up eating salads.

In early October, it’s too late
for delicate field greens but too
soon for brisket and short ribs,
noodles and mashed potatoes.

There are many sunny
October days in the 60s, when
I crave the crunch of salads.

However, I shift the ingredients
I toss into my salad bowl from
sugar snap peas and cherry
tomatoes to the heartier vegeta-
bles so prevalent in the fall.

I love the earthy smell of
autumn produce that floods
farmers markets. I fill my shopping
basket with spinach, mushrooms,
watercress, sweet potatoes, cauli-
flower and carrots. I often roast
these vegetables and add them
to salads warm, taking the chill
off of cooler days. Even at room
temperature, there’s something
cozy and filling about roasted
vegetables in salads.

Autumn salads are satisfying
as side dishes, but when served
with soup or sandwiches, they
create light lunches or dinners
that compliment October,
which hovers between warm
September days and the long
winter ahead.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO
SALAD | PAREVE
barol16 / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Serves 6
⅓ cup pecans, chopped
2 bunches of scallions
Nonstick vegetable spray
3 large sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil, or
more, if needed
Kosher salt to taste
3 tablespoons apple cider
vinegar ⅛ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
constantly, as they burn easily.

Cool and reserve.

Cut the roots off of the
scallions and discard. Thinly
slice the white ends of the
scallions and place them in a
small bowl and reserve. Thinly
slice the green parts of two
scallions and place them in a
second small bowl and reserve.

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Coat a 9-by-13-inch ovenproof
pan, such as Pyrex, with
nonstick spray.

Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut
them into 1-inch chunks. Move
them to a bowl and drizzle in
2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss
them with a spoon until they
are coated with oil. Add more
oil, if necessary, then sprinkle
with salt. Move the potatoes to
the prepared pan and spread
then out evenly.

Cover the pan with aluminum
foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and discard it.

Turn the potatoes with a spoon.

Sprinkle on more salt. Bake until
just soft in the center, about
10-15 more minutes. Remove the
potatoes from the oven and cool
them to room temperature.

Transfer the potatoes to a
bowl and add the white parts
of the scallions, along with the
apple cider vinegar, balsamic
vinegar and 2 tablespoons of
olive oil. Gently toss the ingre-
dients. Add more oil and salt,
if needed. This can be made to
this point up to 2 days before
serving if covered with plastic
wrap and refrigerated.

When ready to serve, move
the salad to an attractive
serving bowl and bring it to
room temperature. Sprinkle it
with the pecans and green parts
of the scallions.

WARM SPINACH SALAD |
PAREVE cleaned and sliced thin
⅓ cup dried cranberries or
raisins ⅓ cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Kosher salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons freshly
squeezed lemon juice
Rinse the spinach under cold
water and dry it in a salad spinner
or spread out on paper towels.

When the spinach is dry, place
the leaves on a large platter or on
individual salad plates. Arrange
the sliced mushrooms on top
of the spinach, then scatter the
dried cranberries or raisins. This
can be made to this point several
hours ahead if covered with
plastic wrap and refrigerated.

In a small saucepan, heat the
olive oil on a low flame until
it’s warm. Add the garlic and
salt, stirring almost constantly
until the garlic is fragrant
and wilted, about 2 minutes.

Remove it from the flame and
cool it briefly to warm. Sprinkle
lemon juice on the salad. Spoon
the oil mixture over the salad
and serve immediately.

CAULIFLOWER CARROT
SALAD | PAREVE
Serves 6
This salad tastes best if made
the day before.

Place aluminum foil on Serves 6
a toaster oven tray. Sprinkle
the pecans on the foil. Bake at
8-10-ounce package of baby
350 F for 1-2 minutes or until
spinach fragrant. Watch the pecans
½ pound white mushrooms,
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 carrots
1 hard-boiled egg, cooled
⅓ cup pitted black olives,
such as Picholine
2 tablespoons red onion,
diced JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
JEWISH EXPONENT
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil, or more if
needed ¼ cup red wine vinegar,
or more if needed
Rinse the cauliflower under
cold water and dry it with paper
towels. Cut the cauliflower into
florets. If some are larger than
bite-sized, cut them in half.

Move them to a large bowl.

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Using a vegetable scraper,
scrape off the outside surface of
the carrots and discard. Rinse
the carrots under cold water
and dry them with paper towels.

Using the vegetable scraper,
scrape the carrots into ribbons,
until only thin stalks of carrot
remain. Be careful not to cut
your fingers. Place the ribbons
in the bowl with the cauliflower,
and use the remainder of the
carrots for another purpose.

Slice the hard-boiled egg
and add it to the cauliflower,
along with the olives, red
onion, garlic powder, salt, olive
oil and vinegar. Toss the ingre-
dients well. Check the salt and
add more, if needed. If the
salad is too dry, add a bit more
olive oil and vinegar.

Cover the bowl with plastic
wrap and refrigerate it for about
24 hours. Serve at room tempera-
ture in an attractive bowl. l
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