Creating balance is sometimes about restraint. You don’t always need flavor to smack you in the face to have a wow moment. As you look at the piles of apples and pears in the produce section, it’s never been more true. My favorite eating apple these days is the Honeycrisp. It’s not shy. It’s crunchy and sweet, no bones about it. And then there’s the Asian pear, which based on its crunchiness seems to have more in common with apples than pears, but its flavor and sweetness are much more subtle. So we’re keeping it simple with this salad. No cheese to shock the palate, no nuts necessary for crunch. It’s already there, just Lacinato kale, Asian Pear and Pomegranate… and a little dressing.
Put the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle it with 2 pinches of salt. Massage the kale well and let sit (or refrigerate) for 15-20 minutes.
To make the dressing, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, ginger and garlic. Remove the garlic before dressing the salad.
Combine the kale and Asian pear and add the dressing, tossing until evenly coated. Sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top and serve.