Author Notes
My fiance and I were first introduced to Kale through a dish cooked in a spoonful of bacon fat, a splash of vinegar, and a dash of red pepper flakes. It was love at first bite, however, a spoonful of bacon fat does not bode well for my New Year's resolutions. Looking for a healthier alternative, we switched to raw kale salads, but never really enjoyed the bitterness. Massaging the kale with a sweetened vinegarette strips this fantastic side salad of its bitterness and the toasted pine nuts mingle well with the parmesan and blood orange pieces. —slidedtd
Ingredients
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3
handfuls of raw kale (curly)
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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4-6 teaspoons
sherry vinegar
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1-2
drizzles of agave nectar
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.5 cups
pine nuts (lightly toasted in a skillet over medium heat until golden)
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grated parmesan cheese
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1
blood orange (peeled and chopped into 1/2 in chunks)
Directions
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Separate the leaves of your kale from the stems and toss the stems into the trash. I find it's way easier to separate if you buy the bunches at the market or grocery, rather than the already chopped bags of kale. I usually stop at about 3 handfuls for the two of us (if you are making more, scale the dressing up accordingly).
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In a small glass bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, and drizzle in a bit of the agave. Whisk until incoporated into a dressing. The dressing scales well ( for every table spoon of olive oil, I use 2-3 teaspoons of sherry vinegar. Adjust ingredients to taste by adding more agave or sherry vinegar and a dash of salt.
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Pour the dressing over the kale, massaging for about 5 minutes (until the leaves are silky and smooth and no longer crunchy). At this point I usually refrigerate it for a half hour before we are ready to eat.
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Immediately before serving, I toast the pine nuts on medium heat until golden and add to the top of the salad. I grate fresh parmesan over the top of the salad as well. I finish off by adding a handful (or two) of chopped blood orange (regular orange works too!).
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This salad is not only delicious, but looks beautiful and vibrant assembled in a glass bowl. Enjoy!
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