The persimmon and fennel featured in this Winter Romaine Salad recipe are some of the season’s loveliest produce, and the light champagne vinaigrette is a wonderful compliment to this clean, crisp crunchy salad.

I’ve always found the mellow week between Christmas and New Year’s to be an odd one. Most of the buzz of the holiday season has faded, save for a bit of glimmer reserved for New Year’s Eve.

The year has all but wrapped up, but the next one hasn’t yet begun. I tend to use this time of limbo as an opportunity for introspection; a chance to realign with my intentions in areas like my profession, personal/inner relationships and health.

And speaking of health, usually by the time December 25 has come and gone I’ve had enough of holiday indulgences and am craving clean, green meals. Who needs to wait for a January 1st detox? Give me all the lettuce now please!

A healthy romaine salad recipe to help you shed that winter weight!

This Winter Romaine Salad recipe is just what I need to re-balance after one too many Christmas cookies.

It’s full of hearty, cripy romaine lettuce, crisp fennel, crunchy walnuts and sweet persimmons. So many of my favorite seasonal ingredients packed into one gorgeous winter salad.

Did somebody say Champagne Vinaigrette?

My favorite thing about this Winter Romaine Salad, however, is the light and simple champagne vinaigrette that ties it all together.

That little bit of festive glitz in an otherwise mega-healthy salad makes it the perfect thing to cure your post holiday hangover!

The champagne vinaigrette recipe transforms this simple persimmon & fennel salad into the ideal starter for a New Year’s Eve dinner party…because it will now pair perfectly with a bottle of bubbly.

Champagne vinaigrette is not only a super elegant yet simple dressing. It’s also incredibly versatile. You can add it to any salad and it will elevate it instantly with its wonderfully fresh and bright flavor.

How to make Champagne Vinegar using leftover champagne:

Here’s a tip if you wind up with leftover champagne after your New Year’s bash. You can easily make the champagne vinegar needed for the vinaigrette from scratch.  Pour your leftover champagne into a mason jar, cover it with cheesecloth and store it at room temperature for about 4-6 weeks.

But since ample planning is required for this champagine vinaigrette recipe, store-bought champagne vinegar is a much quicker solution if you want to enjoy this romaine salad now.

How to cook with Fuyu Persimmons:

Fuyu persimmons look a little like flattened bright orange tomatoes. Unlike the other common type of persimmons, Hachiyas, ripe Fuyus have a nice and firm texture and can therefore be eaten when still crisp.

They are still best when we allow them to soften just a little. You can slice a crisp Fuyu like an apple and add it to all your favorite salads, or pair it with a tangy soft goat cheese. 

You can peel them but it is not optional. They’re also delicious poached in sweet dessert wine or ice wine . You can use poached persimmons instead of pears in my Poached Pear Parfaits recipe. This would be perfect for Christmas Dinner.

At the store, look for plump fruits with smooth, shiny, orange skin free of cracks or blemishes. Buy them ripe only if you plan to eat them within a day or two. I recommend you store them in the fridge.

Unripe persimmons will take a few days to ripen and should be kept at room temperature to allow for ripening. You can speed things up by putting them in a closed paper bag at room temperature with an apple.

Tips for making this Winter Romaine Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette recipe:

• Want to substitute the Champagne Vinegar? Champagne vinegar lis on the lighter end of the spectrum, so your best bet would be Asian rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, even though those are a touch harsher. Red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar could work, but they’re less sweet and you might have to add some more sweetener to your champagne vinaigrette.
• Want to chop your romaine ahead of time? Wash, spin dry and chop. Then, line a Ziploc bag with a couple sheets of paper towel and store your chopped lettuce in it. The paper towel absorbs that extra moisture that normally ruins your pre-chopped lettuce. You can store it for several days.
• Leftover champagne vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Thanks for reading! To keep up with my kitchen escapades, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. If you make this Winter Romaine Salad recipe with Champagne Vinaigrette, please share it using the hashtag #LePetitEats!

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Winter Romaine Salad Recipe with Champagne Vinaigrette

The persimmon and fennel featured in this Winter Romaine Salad recipe are some of the season's loveliest produce, and the light champagne vinaigrette is a wonderful compliment to this clean, crisp crunchy salad.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas side dish, romaine salad recipe, salad with persimmons

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 200 kcal

Author Denisse

Ingredients

For the champagne vinaigrette:

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup champagne vinegar
• 1 small shallot grated or very finely minced
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the salad:

• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 firm Fuyu persimmon thinly sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced
• ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped

Instructions

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the Dijon, champagne vinegar, grated shallot, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. In a serving bowl, add the romaine lettuce, persimmon, fennel, and walnuts.

3. Toss salad with champagne vinaigrette.

Recipe Notes

• Want to substitute the Champagne Vinegar? Champagne vinegar lis on the lighter end of the spectrum, so your best bet would be Asian rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, even though those are a touch harsher. Red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar could work, but they're less sweet and you might have to add some more sweetener do your champagne vinaigrette.

• Want to chop your romaine ahead of time? Wash, spin dry and chop. Then, line a Ziploc bag with a couple sheets of paper towel and store your chopped lettuce in it. The paper towel absorbs that extra moisture that normally ruins your pre-chopped lettuce. You can store it for several days. 

• Leftover champagne vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container.