Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet onions, such as Vidalia, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rings
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
- 2 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 pound red new potatoes
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed
- 6 ounces baby kale
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Chef notes
While visiting the vegetable stall at Palermo's La Vucciria market, I discovered the unique and flavorful combination of a salad made with both raw and cooked vegetables. The squash, kale and potatoes are a perfect combination of different seasonal vegetables.
Swap option: This salad can also be made with fried eggplant and roasted peppers when summer comes around.
Preparation
For the salad:
1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil to cook the potatoes and string beans.
2.Spread the onion slices on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper, brush both sides of the onions with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a bowl, toss the butternut squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. On another rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper, spread the squash. Roast squash and onions, turning onions once, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Let both cool, then separate the onions into rings.
3.Put the raisins in a small bowl, and ladle some of the hot water over them. Let the raisins soak 5 minutes, then drain well.
4.Add the potatoes to the boiling water, and simmer until just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their size. Drain, cool, and halve.
5.When the potatoes are out, add the green beans to the boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, and cool under cold running water to set the color. Pat dry and, with a paring knife, "French" the green beans by splitting them lengthwise at the seam. Put the onions, squash, potatoes and green beans in a large salad bowl. Add the raisins, kale and almonds.
For the dressing:
In a mini-food processor (or a bowl, if you're working by hand), combine the almonds, vinegar and salt. Process to make a paste. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream to make a smooth, thick dressing. With the machine still running, drizzle in warm water (up to 1/4 cup) to thin the dressing.
To serve:
Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad, and toss. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.
Reprinted from Lidia's Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party by Lidia Bastianich. Published by Knopf a division of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2017.
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