What does autumn taste like? When most people think of fall recipes, they usually think of making easy soup recipes or roasting chickens with fall vegetables. Of course, we can’t forget about pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin loafs. In the case of this fall salad recipe from Mandy’s Gourmet Salads restaurants, all of the flavours of autumn, from oven-roasted carrots to crunchy candied pecans to cooked beets, are tossed with mesclun greens (mesclun is a French word that describes a mix of salad greens and herbs) crumbled goat cheese and a pomegranate dressing. To top it off, ripe Bartlett pear is diced and added in for the sweet, autumnal fruit flavours.
This salad was originally developed at Mandy’s Gourmet Salad restaurants and called the Feel-Good Fall. Mandy Wolfe and sister Rebecca Wolfe wrote about their creation in their cookbook More Mandy’s. “Every October in Quebec, it’s very easy to be inspired by all the autumn colours around us when we’re dreaming up our monthly salads. In 2020, we created the Feel Good Fall salad, and it was a huge success: gorgeous roasted rainbow carrots with fennel seeds, candied pecans, creamy goat cheese, and a tangy pomegranate dressing. A delicious and harmonious autumn feast!”
If you’re looking for a cozy autumn soup recipe to eat alongside (after all, what’s better than a soup and salad!), Mandy’s Lentil Soup should also be on your menu.
Fall Salad With Roasted Carrots, Pecans and Goat Cheese
Equipment
- 1 stainless steel bowl
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups mesclun greens
- 1 cup arugula
- ¼ cup cooked beets cubed
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup Fennel-Roasted Carrots
- ¼ cup diced pear
- 2 tbsp Candied Pecans
- 2 tbsp mint leaves torn
- ⅓ cup Pomegranate Dressing
Fennel-Roasted Carrots
- 1 lb rainbow carrots halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Candied Pecans
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1⅓ cups pecan halves
Pomegranate Dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup pomegranate juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup 125 ml olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Salad
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large stainless-steel bowl. Top with the dressing and, using tongs, toss until well mixed and dressed.
Fennel-Roasted Carrots
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the carrots onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Candied Pecans
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and 3 tablespoons of water and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to bubble. Add the pecans, stirring to coat, and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the pecans and their syrup to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spreading out with a spatula to flatten. Allow to cool completely. Use your hands to break into bite-size pieces. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature. These will keep for up to 2 weeks.
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, pomegranate juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.
Pomegranate Dressing
- In a blender, combine the cooled pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, and mustard. Process on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 15 to 20 seconds. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides of the jar with a spatula as needed.
- With the blender running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the salt and pepper, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- This dressing will keep, refrigerated, for up to 7 days.
More recipes from Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe
Mandy's Roasted Leek Salad With Quinoa
This autumn salad from Mandy's restaurant is a showcase for McIntosh apples. Apples are paired with roasted fennel and leek then tossed in a zesty lemon-thyme vinaigrette.
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