Make Ahead

Addictive Raw Kale Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan Cheese

by:
January 28, 2014
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

This recipe is inspired by the salad at one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco, Darwin Café. Darwin Café sat equidistant between my apartment and my office while I lived in S.F., and I found myself there at least once a week as a result. This is a salad for anyone who believes they dislike kale (or salads). It is filling enough to be a main course with bread, and sturdy enough to take pre-dressed to a picnic or to the office for lunch. The recipe can easily become vegetarian or even vegan if you swap the prosciutto and parmesan for salty dried black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and cooked white beans or garbanzo beans for protein. This recipe can also be doubled, tripled, etc. to feed larger crowds. —eat chic

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch curly or lacinato kale, center ribs discarded and leaves thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
Directions
  1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the sliced prosciutto, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces, until extra crispy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer the prosciutto to a paper towel-lined dish to drain, and remove the pan from heat. Add the garlic and olive oil immediately to the warm pan to infuse the oil with garlic.
  3. Sprinkle the kale with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of one lemon, and massage the kale for 1-2 minutes until the fibers begin to break down.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the kale (garlic oil, cheese, prosciutto, vinegar), including additional salt and black pepper to taste, and serve with extra grated parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

6 Reviews

Andrea Y. February 20, 2014
This is so freakin good.
eat C. February 21, 2014
Thanks Andrea, so glad you enjoyed it!
Andrea Y. March 17, 2014
Seriously, I've made it 3 times in a month! Love this salad!
eat C. March 18, 2014
That makes me so happy! Glad you love it as much as I do!
Ashley C. February 12, 2014
that sounds amazing! can't wait to try it!
eat C. February 12, 2014
Thanks Ashley! I just made it again over the weekend. So tasty!