In our family, the MEN do the cooking for Mother’s Day dinner.  Scott make this salad – outstanding!! 

Note: You can buy the pomegranate molasses but it is hard to find.  You can easily make your own…4 cups pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.  Bring to a boil then simmer until you have about 1 cup left.  This takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Just be careful toward the end that you monitor the molasses so it does not burn.  The temperature of the molasses when finished was 240°.  The results are a thick, sweet, but tart, pomegranate molasses.  And it gives this dressing it’s wonderful flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c dried cranberries
• 1 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinato kale), ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 4 oz baby spinach, chopped
• 1 ripe Asian pear, cored, halved and chopped (Bosc good too)
• 1 1/2 c Overcooked Wild Rice, recipe follows
• 1/2 c toasted walnuts/pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c pomegranate nibs (Please, look for the ones in a container – whole pomegranates are a messy deal)
• Pomegranate Molasses Dressing, recipe follows

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Add the dried cranberries and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Drain off excess water.
4. Combine the kale, spinach, pear, rice, walnuts and rehydrated cranberries in large bowl.
5. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the Pomegranate Molasses Dressing over.
6. Gently toss until evenly coated.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl.
8. Drizzle with more dressing when ready to serve.

Overcooked Wild Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c wild rice
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Combine the rice, 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the grains open all the way, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The rice should be very cooked (not even the slightest chewy).
3. Drain well.
4. Spread on a baking sheet in an even layer and set aside.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Yield: 3 cups

Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c white wine vinegar
• 2 Tab pomegranate molasses
• 1 Tab clover honey
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c olive oil

Directions:

1. Whisk together the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, honey, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until combined.
2. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified.
3. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Serves:  4-6

Source:  Food Network, Bobby Flay