We love our cozy, warm comfort foods in winter, like soups and stews, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up salads until the spring harvest begins.
Winter is the time to savor heartier salads with ingredients like sweet and white potatoes, beets, sausage, kale, apples, butternut squash and brussels sprouts. A warm poached egg can easily replace dressing while adding some protein and warmth to a salad, while a warm vinaigrette can make a salad more attractive on a cold winter’s night.
Dried cranberries are a colorful and nutritious addition to a winter salad, while raisins, dates and dried figs add sweetness that contracts nicely with a vinegar-based dressing.
Tomatoes are delightful in summer, but less so in winter, when hard, pink versions come from greenhouses or far away. Only grape tomatoes, which likely also come from a long distance, are palatable this time of year. But tomatoes aren’t necessary if you can think outside the box when designing your salad.
In winter we are less likely to choose salad as an entrée, but when eaten as a side dish it can offer a host of nutrition as a hearty serving of cold-weather vegetables. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a salad entrée; this recipe from delish.com offers just that with a warm vinaigrette dressing and chicken and bacon for protein.
Cooked brussels sprouts often are disparaged as a hot side dish, but they perform like crunchy, shredded cabbage in this recipe.
4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 6 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add garlic and shallots to skillet and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and mustard and season generously with salt and pepper. (If there isn’t enough of bacon drippings to create a dressing, whisk in 1 tablespoon olive oil.) Keep warm.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and sear until golden brown and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let chicken rest covered in foil.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss Brussels sprouts, parsley, and croutons with warm dressing. Serve with chicken and top with additional dressing and bacon.
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