Christmas

Spicy Greens, Delicata, and Crunchy Pork Salad

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December 17, 2015
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Spicy Greens, Delicata, and Crunchy Pork Salad
Photo by Rachel (Simple Seasonal)
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Whether you’re in need of a break from holiday sweets, or just fancy a healthy and delicious dinner, this sweet and savory winter salad will help recharge your batteries! —Rachel (Simple Seasonal)

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Salad
  • 3/4 pound boneless pork sirloin chops
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 2 medium delicata squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 8 cups assorted seasonal spicy greens (e.g. mustard greens, mizuna, mache, tatsoi, arugula and frisée)
  • 4 tablespoons roughly chopped pecans
  • 4 tablespoons shaved parmesan
  • Dressing
  • 1/2 cup pure no-sugar-added cranberry juice*
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup thawed frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely-minced red onion
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  2. Prep pork for baking by breading. Place flour and 1/8 tsp of salt in one ziplock bag and place bread crumbs in another bag. In a small mixing bowl, beat together 2 eggs. Cut pork in 1 inch cubes, trimming away any excess fat. Place the pork cubes into the bag with the flour, seal, and then shake to coat the meat. Individually dip each floured piece of meat into the beaten eggs and then immediately place it into the bag of bread crumbs. After doing this with a few pieces of meat, gently shake the bread crumb bag so that they don't stick to each other. Continue doing this until every piece is breaded. Evenly arrange the breaded pork on a baking sheet.
  3. Prep the delicata by slicing it in half, scooping out the seeds, and cutting it into 1/4 inch thick half-rings. Using a sealed ziplock bag, shake together with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1/8 tsp of salt. Evenly arrange the delicata on a baking sheet.
  4. Place the delicata into the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes and then flip each piece and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the pork to the top rack of the oven after flipping the delicata and cook for 15 minutes, flipping midway. The delicata is done when soft and beginning to brown, and the pork is done when golden brown and cooked through. Check for doneness by cutting through a piece after 15 minutes.
  5. While the delicata and pork are cooking, make the salad dressing, wash and trim the greens, chop the pecans, and shave the parmesan.
  6. To serve, arrange the warm delicata and crunchy pork on a bed of spicy greens, sprinkle with pecans and shaved parmesan, and drizzle with cranberry vinaigrette.
  7. In a food processor combine everything except the red onion. Process on low until all of the ingredients have emulsified (a.k.a. turned creamy and even in texture) and the cranberry is broken up into pieces that are about the size of fresh ground pepper.
  8. Pour the vinaigrette into a dressing bottle, add 1 tsp of finely-minced red onion and lightly shake to combine.
  9. Serve immediately or store up to one week in the refrigerator. Shake vigorously between uses.
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