This cold-weather salad from chef Carla Hall hits all the notes: sweet, savory, spicy, and salty. Here Hall uses her Country Ham Potlikker as an umami-rich base for a spicy vinaigrette that gets its silky texture from blended cannellini beans. More beans are then mixed with roasted squash, apple, and fennel for a delightful mix of crunchy and creamy textures. Making the Country Ham Potlikker is a crucial first step, so be sure to read through that recipe before you get started.
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Ingredients
6 servings
¼
cup apple cider vinegar
¼
1
tsp. yellow mustard
1
15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, divided
⅓
cup vegetable oil
2
tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
2
medium delicata squash, halved, seeds removed and reserved, sliced crosswise ½” thick
3
Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼
tsp. cayenne pepper
1
large sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp), cored, quartered, sliced ¼” thick
1
large fennel bulb, quartered, thinly sliced
1
15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
¼
cup chopped parsley
Preparation
Step 1
Blend vinegar, potlikker, mustard, and ¼ cup cannellini beans in a blender until smooth. With the motor running, stream in vegetable oil; blend until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°. Divide sliced squash between 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle 2 Tbsp. olive oil over. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; season with pepper. Roast 15 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, rinse squash seeds and pat dry. Toss seeds with cayenne and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt.
Step 4
Sprinkle seeds over squash. Continue to roast until squash is golden brown and tender, 13–15 minutes more.
Step 5
Combine squash and seeds, apple, fennel, kidney beans, and remaining cannellini beans in a large bowl. Toss with ½ cup vinaigrette. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed. Add parsley, season with salt, and toss again.
Step 6
Transfer salad to a platter; serve any remaining vinaigrette alongside.
