Author Notes
I’m not sure if this is a roasted salad or a side dish, but I do know it is a combination of my four year old son’s favorite vegetables – kale and turnips – with a few of his favorite salty additions. He is my best helper in the garden and I wanted to reward his enthusiasm with a dish tailored to his unique palate (did I mention he will not eat cheese? Ever.). He loves this dish and would eat it every night if I made it. It was a happy bonus that we all loved it too. Roasting takes the bitter edge off the kale and sweetens the roots, while sherry vinegar does its sparkly dance adding tart notes. Portuguese sausage gives it some porky-garlicky heft, and finally capers shower the whole combination with briny goodness. It is important to use Toscano kale, as the thicker leaves hold up a bit better when roasting. We love eating this with eggs. —gingerroot
Test Kitchen Notes
This aptly named recipe is far tastier than its humble base of root vegetables and kale might imply. The crispy kale, earthy root vegetables, salty capers, meaty sausage, and zingy vinegar are a delightfully harmonious combination. There are no diva ingredients; instead it's a perfect ensemble of ingredients creating a thoughtful and delicious dish. It's up to you to decide if this is a side dish, warm salad, or even a satisfying main course. All I can do is urge you to seek out the ingredients and make it as soon as possible. —hardlikearmour
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Ingredients
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1 bunch round pink radishes
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6-7 Hakurei turnips
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7-8 large Toscano kale (also called dinosaur or Lacinato) leaves, thoroughly washed, dried and de-ribbed
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2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
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1/2 cup
diced mild Portuguese sausage (also called Linguiça)
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1 tablespoon
capers, drained and chopped (rinsed if you are using salt packed)
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1 tablespoon
Italian parsley, finely chopped
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1 1/2 teaspoons
sherry vinegar
Directions
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Preheat oven to 400° F.
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Scrub radishes and trim ends. Halve each radish and set on one end of a large rimmed baking sheet (mine is 13 " x 18 ").
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Scrub turnips, trim ends and peel. Halve each turnip and slice into wedges (about 4 cups). Add to radishes on baking sheet.
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Thickly slice kale leaves and spread out on the remaining half of the baking sheet. You should have about 8 cups of kale, loosely packed. Don't worry, it will cook down a lot.
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Toss kale with 1 T of olive oil and using your hands, massage the oil into all the leaves. They will get glossy as you spread the oil around. Drizzle remaining olive oil over radishes and turnips and toss to evenly combine in a single layer.
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Roast vegetables for 10 minutes, tossing kale with tongs after 5 minutes.
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While vegetables are roasting, cook your Portuguese sausage in a small skillet over medium heat until crispy but not burned and fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
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After 10 minutes in the oven, transfer kale with tongs to a shallow serving bow or platter. Continue roasting root vegetables for an additional 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan to toss. Roots are done when turnips are beginning to brown on one side and radishes are wrinkled.
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Remove pan from oven and add radishes and turnips to kale. Add drained sausage, chopped capers and parsley. Drizzle with sherry vinegar and toss well to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy.
My most vivid childhood memories have to do with family and food. As a kid, I had the good fortune of having a mom who always encouraged trying new things, and two grandmothers who invited me into their kitchens at a young age. I enjoy cooking for the joy it brings me - sharing food with loved ones - and as a stress release. I turn to it equally during good times and bad. Now that I have two young children, I try to be conscientious about what we cook and eat. Right about the time I joined food52, I planted my first raised bed garden and joined a CSA; between the two I try to cook as sustainably and organically as I can. Although I'm usually cooking alone, my children are my favorite kitchen companions and I love cooking with them. I hope when they are grown they will look back fondly at our time spent in the kitchen, as they teach their loved ones about food-love.
Best of all, after years on the mainland for college and graduate school, I get to eat and cook and raise my children in my hometown of Honolulu, HI. When I'm not cooking, I am helping others grow their own organic food or teaching schoolchildren about art.
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