I am such a fan of salads and I absolutely love the versatility of greens and seasonal accents.  I like to use a variety of lettuce.  The Bibb lettuce is combined with baby romaine lettuce in this salad, but you can opt for any greens that strike your fancy.  The pomegranate arils are so wonderful at this time of year.  The best way to clean your pomegranate and not make a huge mess and stain your clothing is to submerge the cut pomegranate under water in a large bowl as you clean it.  The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and then you can strain them easily. They are tart and sweet with a pop of crisp flavor that is so good with the parm and nuts.  It is a new year so why not splurge for a champagne vinaigrette!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

for salad:

  • 10 ounces baby romaine and Bibb lettuce (approximately)
  • 11/2 cups toasted walnuts, rough chop
  • 1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils
  • 1 cup pitted castelvetrano olives
  • 2 ounces or so of shaved parmigiano regiano

for dressing:

  • 1 minced shallot
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place greens in a large bowl and add toppings.  In a 2 cup or larger measuring cup, add shallot, mustard, vinegar, honey, garlic powder and lemon to the cup and whisk to combine.  Slowly pour in olive oil whisking constantly to emulsify.  Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.  Toss into salad a bit at a time until leaves are lightly coated.  Extra dressing can be refrigerated for future use.  Enjoy!