I first wrote about this recipe a few weeks ago when I described our trip to San Francisco. My friend Maud's brother Arthur made a delicious kale salad for us, and I couldn't wait to make it at home and post it for you. In the process of raving about it on Facebook, I found out that the recipe originally came from Maud and Arthur's sister Abigail! She claims she didn't make it up herself, but I'm happy to give her credit for introducing it to me via Arthur. She said that Arthur added the nuts (a good addition).
The kale in the salad is raw, yet tender, because it sits tossed with some lemon juice for a bit (the acid tenderizes the greens). In fact, I kept leftovers in the fridge overnight and enjoyed it completely the next day. Abigail notes that it is always popular on buffets - as we all know, it's not easy to find a green salad that can sit nicely (and even improve) on a buffet! I'm thinking...Thanksgiving. Yes.
I brought some to Debbie & Stu the Wine Genius' home last week and had Stu asking me for the recipe over the weekend. I've got a nasty double-whammy sinus infection/pneumonia going on - grrr - so I've been a little slow posting this. But here it is! I made it for myself today, in fact, adding garlic to give my immune system a kick in the you know what.
I also added fresh dill, since I love fresh dill with lemon juice and feta cheese. You could add your favorite fresh herb, or none at all, per the original recipe. Thanks Arthur and Abigail!
Abigail and Arthur's Kale Salad
Serves 4
1 large bunch Lacinato kale (also known as Dino kale - it's crinkly, like dinosaur skin!), center ribs removed, leaves cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt + more
1/3 c. pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup small dill sprigs (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
About one hour before you plan to eat, put kale and shallot in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit for one hour.
To serve, add toasted nuts, feta cheese, and dill sprigs to salad and toss thoroughly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
