Watercress And Persimmon Salad With Champagne Vinaigrette Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WATERCRESS SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the squash is just tender and golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cover to keep warm.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallots, lemon zest and ginger. While whisking, slowly add the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is thickened and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, in a large mixing bowl, toss the watercress, warm squash and pomegranate seeds with the vinaigrette until coated; transfer to a serving platter.
• Serve while the squash is still warm.

WATERCRESS AND PERSIMMON SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together vinegar, shallot, zest, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.
• Peel persimmons and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges. Toss watercress with persimmons and enough vinaigrette to coat, then season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH PERSIMMONS AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together shallot, orange juice, vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in oils until mixture is emulsified; season with salt and pepper.
• Add red endive and watercress to bowl with dressing; lightly toss. Add hazelnuts and transfer salad to a large chilled platter. Place persimmon wedges and cheese around edge of platter; serve immediately.

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH WARM VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan whisk together the shallot, the mustard, the honey, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Heat the dressing over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, until it is hot and in a bowl toss it with the watercress.

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk mustard, vinegar, and garlic in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper, then gradually stream in oil, whisking constantly. Whisk until dressing is emulsified and thick.
• Add watercress to dressing, season with more salt and pepper, and gently toss until watercress is evenly coated (you want to be careful not to bruise or wilt greens when tossing, so use a light hand). Pile salad lightly onto plates.

PERSIMMON AND POMEGRANATE SALAD WITH CRUMBLED RICOTTA AND POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the watercress, frisée, persimmons, and shallot. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, tossing with your hands to dress the salad lightly and evenly. Divide the salad equally among chilled plates. Top with the ricotta and pomegranate seeds.
• Pour the pomegranate juice into a small pot and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the juice has reduced to 1/4 cup and is thick and syrupy, roughly 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a small mixing bowl or mason jar, combine the cooled pomegranate syrup, champagne and balsamic vinegars, and olive and canola oils; season lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to blend and dissolve the salt.
• Persimmons
• Persimmons are one of those fall fruits people often don't know what to do with. It's important to understand there are two kinds of persimmons: Fuyu (the kind you can eat right away), which is small and somewhat squat, and Hachiya (Japanese), which is shaped sort of like an acorn. Beware; if Hachiya persimmons are not completely ripe, they make your tongue do funny things! For this recipe I use Fuyu, which you can eat when firm, are crisp and sweet like an apple, and are really easy to work with. The shiny, pumpkin-colored fruit ranges from pale golden-orange to rich reddish-orange. Generally, the darker the color, the sweeter the taste.