This recipe so satisfies our fall appetites that we have to share it with you even though it’s history with us is brief. One fall afternoon when one family member was at ballet class and two family members were at the opera, we (Amelia and Kate) went out for lunch, where they had a salad on the menu with both kale AND spaghetti squash. The very thought of that combination thrilled us and we had to negotiate a bit about which one of us would order it. Unfortunately, the salad itself was disappointing. Still, we were grateful because it got our imaginations humming and the following recipe is the happy result.
This salad isn’t hard to make, but there are a number of ways to make preparation particularly easy. We recently made a rule that when we bring kale into the house, we immediately wash and stem it. Otherwise, that benign task can grow large in our heads and we’ll postpone using the kale day after day. So wash, stem, and chop your kale as soon as you bring it home, then put it into a container or plastic bag with a paper towel. Or, buy kale from Trader Joe’s that someone else washed, stemmed, and chopped for you. Mix the vinaigrette the night before. It’s really easy to make, but even easier when a five minute investment one evening leads to a full day of knowing that your salad dressing is already made, the flavors cheerfully mingling in anticipation of delighting your palate. You could also bake the squash ahead of time. If you did that, you could put the whole salad together in about five minutes.
Lightly massaged kale
Spaghetti Squash, Kale, and Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Serves 6 to 8
1 bunch kale (dinosaur kale works especially well)
1/2 medium spaghetti squash
1 apple, chopped into the size pieces you like for salad
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1/4 cup grated carrot, optional. (We include it when we have it, because it looks nice.)
3 tablespoons pepitas, toasted (or toasted sliced almonds are also good)
2 thick slices of cheese, cut into little squares or rectangles (manchego and cheddar both work well)
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cover a sheet pan with tinfoil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse off spaghetti squash and slash it many times with a sharp knife (the slashes will be barely visible). Then put it on the sheetpan, slide it into the oven (careful, it might roll around), and bake for an hour. If you haven’t already made your vinaigrette and prepped your kale, do so now.
When the squash is fully cooked (the top of ours turns light brown and the kitchen smells like something rich and delicious is about to happen), slash it lengthwise down the middle with a chef’s knife to let the heat out. When it’s cool enough to handle, spoon out the seeds, then scrape the insides with a fork to turn them into strands.
Meanwhile, toast the pepitas (or sliced almonds) for about 8 minutes at 325 degrees, cut up the cheese, and place the kale in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle the kale with a large pinch (1/8 teaspoon or so) kosher or another coarse salt, then massage or squeeze the salt into the kale for a minute both for fun and to make the kale a little more tender.
Top the kale with strands of spaghetti squash, then pour the vinaigrette over them both. Toss a little to mix the beautiful dark green and yellow colors. Sprinkle raisins and chopped, unpeeled apple on top. If you aren’t eating for a while, douse the apple with a little lemon juice or apple cider (or just some of the vinaigrette) to keep it looking fresh. Add the cheese and pepitas right before serving.
