Spruce up your pumpkin and turkey this Thanksgiving with this healthy alternative. Massimo Capra‘s recipe will get your family digging into their pumpkins! Literally.
Pumpkin, turkey & kale salad
Makes 4 full pumpkins
Ingredients for the pumpkins:
- 4 small pumpkins with stems
- Sprinkle of allspice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 oz. butter, cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 2 oz. olive oil
- ½ oz. cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the salad:
- 4 handfuls of baby kale
- 8 oz. smoked turkey leg, deboned & shredded
- 1 cup red pepper, julienned & roasted
- 1 cup red onions, julienned & roasted
- 4 tbsp quinoa, cooked
- 4 tsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 4 tsp walnuts, crushed, toasted
- 4 tsp dry cranberries
Method:
Cut a large circle around the pumpkin stem and scoop out the seed to make the pumpkin hollow. Season the inside with sugar, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of allspice, then sprinkle some oil inside each of the pumpkins and add a nugget of butter.
Bake pumpkin bowl and tops in a preheated oven at 375˚F until tender. Remove from oven and invert onto a clean, dry surface to cool and drain out some of the liquid.
To create your dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard and honey together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Wash and dry the baby kale, and place into a bowl.
In the same bowl as the kale, add the quinoa, julienne peppers, onions and cranberries. Dress with the vinaigrette and toss well.
Place the salad into the pumpkin bowls and top with the shredded turkey. Sprinkle on the walnuts and the pumpkin seeds and serve.
Courtesy Massimo Capra
www.massimocapra.com
@chefcapra