I broke my savings account and bought some pine nuts! While this is a very expensive nut, there are times when it’s worth splurging and adding it to your recipes. This salad is wonderful during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. During Christmas time Long Island, New York, one can see pine cones on the ground everywhere. I recommend serving this salad with some lamb chops, port or chicken, which really adds layers of texture.
Ingredients
- 1 LB cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Half of small red onion sliced very thinly
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cup fresh basil leaves only torn or sliced in half
- 3 TBS pomegranate molasses
- 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
- Salt to taste
Direction
- Place the golden raisins in a bowl and cover them with cold water and two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Let them sit for 15 minutes to soften and absorb some of the vinegar.
- In a heavy pan, toast the pine nuts, stirring constantly. Once they turn golden brown, remove them from the heat and transfer them to a plate to stop toasting.
- In a deep bowl, add all the ingredients except the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Give it a good mix.
- Mix the olive oil and pomegranate syrup with salt, and drizzle it over the salad. Toss gently and serve.
