I have a confession to make: I have bad avocado management skills. I have worked hard over the decades to curtail waste in my kitchen, decrying the loss of money and labor when food goes unused. About once a week, I have some sort of “clear the fridge” meal to use up the accumulated odds and ends that result from the fact that I love to experiment in my kitchen. I have some go-to recipes like vegetable soup or wraps, where nearly any assortment of protein and veggies will work. Sometimes I come up with something a little fancier, and these use-up-what-I-have creations are truly delicious experiences that nourish my family and save us from waste. I am admittedly a bit prideful about my ability to use what I have to its best advantage. Most of the time.

And then there are avocados. Delicious, creamy, rich avocados, taunting me from their shelf in the pantry. Dice them up too soon and they are unsatisfying, hard-to-cut pieces of sadness. Wait even a few hours too long and they turn into unappetizing brown goo. So, I go through long periods of avocado avoidance, preferring an avocado-less existence to the responsibility of managing my produce. But then, I go to a party, and someone makes a perfect bowl of guacamole, which is one of my top ten snacks. Or perhaps someone slices an avocado atop a perfectly toasted slice of whole wheat with just a whisper of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Sublime.

When the weather turns cooler and the days start to get shorter, I long for meals that are savory and substantial, but there are often days that are still a bit too warm for lasagna or beef stew. A hearty salad, which ideally includes an avocado, is often the perfect answer—I can tailor it to include all the odds and ends in the fridge without heating up the kitchen. A really good salad leaves me feeling totally satisfied because it has the perfect balance of sweet and salty, rich and light. In short, in the early fall, a salad is just what I want.

This salad is the result of a number of random things floating around in my kitchen—various greens, some leftover cheese crumbles, a few apples in need of a home. The dressing is light and mustardy, not overly sweet, but augmented by fresh fall herbs that hold just a hint of all the goodness that the next few months will hold. I had pomegranate arils (that is the fancy name for pomegranate seeds) that needed to be used, but dried sweetened cranberries would also be tasty. Almonds could be used instead of pecans and honey could sub in for maple syrup. If arugula is not your thing, spinach would be good here, too. Same with the feta—if you prefer Parmesan, feel free. Use what is at hand and you just might make a new family favorite.

I served this salad with a grilled pork chop for an autumnal delight. And yes, I did especially buy an avocado for use in this salad, a lone purchase to be used with other ingredients I already had. And it would have been delicious, except as I mentioned before, I have bad avocado management. Alas, I had to compost it and resolve to do better next time. Luckily, I had an otherwise lovely salad on my plate to make me feel better.

 

Fresh Fall Salad

• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 ounces prosciutto or bacon
• 6-7 cups arugula, chopped romaine lettuce, or a combination of the two
• 2 gala apples, quartered and sliced thin
• ½ cup pomegranate arils
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 1 avocado, diced (optional)

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss pecans and pumpkin seeds with maple syrup and cinnamon, then spread in a single layer. Arrange prosciutto or bacon around the nut mixture, then bake in the oven until maple syrup is bubbly and prosciutto or bacon are cooked and a bit crispy, about 10 minutes (timing will vary, so check every few minutes to prevent burning). Allow to cool, chop the prosciutto or bacon into small pieces, and break up the nut mixture; combine with arugula, apples, pomegranate arils, feta and avocado. Mix remaining ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid (a Mason jar works well). Shake vigorously, then pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

 

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett