I know I'm really not qualified to write too much about food on this blog... really should stick to kids and school. But I think that finding a kale salad that everybody loves is cause for celebration. And sharing. So here it is:
Kale Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts
Ingredients:
8-9 oz young kale
3 oz arugula
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup kalamata or other cured olives
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pine nuts)
1 small sweet red bell pepper (which we left out because there are none growing in this part of the country right now)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. walnut oil
2 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste
garnish: crumbled blue cheese, feta, or sharp cheddar (we used feta and wished we'd had some blue cheese in the fridge)
Wash the kale, slice away the stms, and discard them. Stack the greens and roll them into tight bundles, then slice very thinly with a sharp knife-- you're aiming for a shredded look. You should have about 6 cups of shredded kale, which will shrink quite a bit the moment it is tossed with oil and vinegar. Wash and dry the arugula, cut off any tough-looking stems, and cut it in short pieces.
Pour about 1/2 cup boiling water over the cranberries and leave them to soften until you are ready to toss the salad, at least 15 minutes.
Slice the olives off their stones and cut them in slivers. If using pine nuts, toast them lightly in a dry pan over low heat, stirring until they begin to turn golden and release their toasty fragrance. Core and seed the red pepper, quarter it lengthwise, and cut it in matchsticks.
Drain the cranberries, then toss together all the ingredients. Taste the salad, and correct the seasoning with a touch more salt or a drop of vinegar if it's needed; how much salt you need will depend on how salty the olives are. Just before serving, add the crumbled cheese if you like.
This salad keeps well for a day or so, though it will become softer as it sits. Because it is sturdy, it can travel to a picnic or a potluck.
This salad is from Love Soup by Anna Thomas. The salad was her suggestion to go with her Roasted Kabocha Squash and Celery Root Soup, which we also made (with butternut squash). Delicious! And perfect for a cold and rainy Portland night.
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