Curtis Stone’s Arugula Salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon, and Toasted Hazelnuts

This simple salad makes a perfect side to a roasted meat or a rich dish. Best of all, it’s easy to pull together and combines so many flavors with just a few ingredients. Arugula has a subtle bitterness which pairs marvelously with a hint of tartness from the pomegranate and nuttiness and crunch from the hazelnuts, while persimmon brings sweetness to the flavor party.

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon, and Toasted Hazelnuts

(Makes 4 servings)

¼ cup hazelnuts

5 ounces baby arugula leaves, stems trimmed

½ cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 pomegranate)

1 firm but ripe Fuyu persimmon, cut into thin wedges

3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

2 tablespoons pomegranate juice

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place hazelnuts on heavy baking sheet and roast in oven for about 8 minutes, or until center of nuts is lightly golden in color. As nuts roast, gently shake pan occasionally to ensure nuts brown evenly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Rub hazelnuts between your palms to loosen brown husks, allowing husks to fall to work surface. Discard husks and chop hazelnuts.

Meanwhile, combine arugula leaves with pomegranate seeds and persimmon wedges in large mixing bowl. In separate mixing bowl, combine raspberry vinegar and pomegranate juice and begin to whisk. Slowly add grapeseed oil and olive oil to vinegar mixture while constantly whisking to blend. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Gently toss salad with enough vinaigrette to coat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mound salad onto 4 plates. Sprinkle any pomegranate seeds (that have fallen to bottom of bowl) over salads. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and serve immediately.

Per serving

Calories:  290
Total Fat:  26 g
Saturated Fat:  3 g
Sodium:  12 mg
Carbohydrate: 14 g
Fiber:  3 g
Protein:  3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 0.75 fruit, 0.25 vegetable, 5 fat

Credit: From Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone by Curtis Stone. Copyright © by Curtis Stone with permission of Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved.