I briefly toyed with the idea of posting some heart-shaped treats or indulgent goodies dyed with pink food coloring for you, I swear I did, in honor of Cupid. But I refrained from giving into Valentine’s Day, both because I’m not particularly a fan (is anyone, really?) and because there’s been an awful lot of cookies showing up here lately. So I’m taking an opposite approach and offering up a kale salad.
A kale salad?! Yes, that’s right. Hear me out.
First, I love salad. In elementary school, for a time, my favorite food was salad (yes, I was a little weird, and yes, I still kind of am). Nowadays, when I am out for a “fancy” lunch, I love ordering a salad- definitely not because I’m opting for the diet route (my taste in salads does not err on the side of healthy), but because there’s so much of interest happening in a good salad, so much to keep you engaged. Lately, the classic Caesar- when it’s done well- is keeping me happy.
Which brings me to kale. As I have written previously, I do not particularly like it. I had serious doubts that kale’s sharp edges would not be offensive in a salad. Turns out, all it takes is a little olive oil, lovingly rubbed onto each leaf, to soften it up and get it salad ready. Kale is actually the perfect vessel for Caesar dressing because it’s so sturdy- it might even be better than romaine.
I suspect there might be a few people out there who suffer from an anchovy-phobia. I am not one of those people (true confessions, I also loved anchovy pizza as a kid- who am I?!) but I swear to you, anchovy is an awesome, awesome ingredient when it’s blended into things like sauces and dressings. What it brings is a really unique taste and depth of flavor you wouldn’t get from just salt- without really being fishy.
What you’ll end up with is an impressive looking salad that is equally delicious. It’s filled with texture (sturdy kale and crunchy croutons) and flavor, and it’s pretty to boot. And despite the Caesar dressing, the kale will make you believe that you are, in fact, eating your way into summer shape.
Ingredients
- 1lb Tuscan or curly kale (I used curly), tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped (about 4 quarts loosely packed leaves)
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 ounces hearty bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large shallot or two small
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, massage kale with 3 tablespoons olive oil, making sure to coat all surfaces, kneading with your hands to help break down the tougher pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the croutons and the dressing.
- Combine bread pieces with remaining olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until broken down into pea-sized pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pulse once or twice to combine. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and bake until croutons are pale golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes.
- Wipe out food processor bowl. Combine mayonnaise, anchovies, garlic, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice in the food processor bowl and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary.
- When croutons are cooked, add shallots, dressing, and half of croutons to large bowl with wilted kale. Toss with hands until thoroughly coated. Serve sprinkled with remaining croutons.
Notes
Adapted from Serious Eats
February 19, 2014 at 3:03 pm
As someone who eats kale 3-4 times per week, I can’t wait to try this! Sauteing kale in olive oil with fresh garlic is my go-to method, but this looks like an interesting (and delicious) new way to prepare my favorite veggie.