Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 100 g dandelion greens, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
- 100 g mixed greens, washed and dried
- 15 g fresh mint, leaves lightly torn
Fruit and Nuts
- 2 fuyu persimmon, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 50 g hickory nuts, shelled and roughly chopped
Sumac Vinaigrette
- 45 ml olive oil
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 3 g ground sumac
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 265 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 227 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Potassium
- 352 mg
- Calcium
- 91 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 74 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 222 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 203 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 22 mcg
- Water
- 90 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Spread the hickory nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant. Set them aside to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, ground sumac, and kosher salt. Whisk continuously while slowly pouring in the olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified.
Add the prepared dandelion greens, mixed greens, and torn mint leaves to the mixing bowl containing the vinaigrette. Toss gently to ensure every leaf is lightly coated with the dressing.
Transfer the dressed greens to a large serving platter. Arrange the sliced persimmon wedges beautifully over the top of the foliage, then scatter the cooled, toasted hickory nuts over everything. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Hickory nuts have exceptionally hard shells and require patience to extract. If you cannot forage or source them, native North American pecans offer a near-identical texture and cultural relevance.
- The natural citrus profile of sumac means you rely slightly less on vinegar for acidity. Always taste your vinaigrette before dressing the greens, as sumac potency varies by age and source.
- Tearing the mint leaves rather than chopping them prevents bruising and keeps the aromatic oils intact, delivering bursts of freshness that cut through the rich nuts.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store components separately; greens will wilt rapidly once dressed.
Troubleshooting
Greens are overwhelmingly bitter and astringent.
Cause: The dandelion greens were harvested too late in the season, causing mature, harsh flavor compounds.
Fix: Drizzle an extra 5ml of maple syrup over the plated salad and add a small pinch of salt to counteract the bitterness.
Prevention: Select younger, smaller dandelion leaves when foraging, or dilute the ratio of dandelion greens to mild mixed greens.
Persimmon slices are astringent and chalky.
Cause: An unripe Hachiya persimmon was used instead of a Fuyu persimmon.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Astringent unripe persimmons contain too much tannin to be eaten comfortably.
Prevention: Ensure you are using flat-bottomed Fuyu persimmons for slicing, or wait until a Hachiya is entirely soft and jelly-like to scoop it over the greens.
Cultural Context
This salad highlights the brilliant pre-colonial indigenous ingredients of North America. Persimmons, hickory nuts, and sumac were vital food sources for many Eastern Woodland tribes, often gathered and preserved for winter sustenance. Utilizing wild dandelion greens pays homage to traditional foraging practices that celebrate the bright, bitter, and medicinal flavors of the land.
