Kale Pesto Salad
Technically a deconstructed pesto, this easy salad comes together in minutes and is my favorite way to prepare – and eat – kale. It’s even better when made with fresh, just picked kale…from my CSA at Sport Hill Farm or a friend’s garden. The credit for this recipe goes to our dear friend Bobbi. She is responsible for introducing us to the pleasure of eating raw kale. Then again, anything that includes Parmesan, lemon, olive oil and pine nuts sounds delicious to me.
A note re: the recipe: as this is a salad, the measurements are a bit loose. Measure to taste. Surprisingly, leftover kale salad keeps for a day or two in the refrigerator and still tastes good.
Kale Pesto (Deconstructed) Salad
- One big bunch of kale, washed and spun dry
- Extra virgin olive oil, maybe 4 tablespoons (a few turns of your salad bowl)
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (pignoli)
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (use your vegetable peeler or take the easy route and buy the shaved Parmesan from Trader Joe’s)
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Trim the kale by removing the stem from the leaves (here’s a quick video on how to trim kale). Stack the the long leaves and cut into 1″ wide pieces. If I am feeling really lazy, I just tear them into the 1″ wide pieces. Place in salad bowl.
Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the kale and toss, being sure to cover each piece of kale so it glistens with the oil. Squeeze the lemon (to taste) over the kale and toss. Add the toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan. Toss. Add a few twists of the pepper grinder. After one final toss, serve.
Enjoy and feel good knowing you are doing your taste buds and body a favor by eating kale.
[...] with fresh cherry or grape tomatoes. It’s my second favorite way to eat kale, the first being kale pesto salad. And as with the salad, the measurements are a bit loose. It’s all to [...]
I’ve been making a kale salad from Epicurious (originally from Gourmet) for the past few months, quite similar: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lacinato-Kale-and-Ricotta-Salata-Salad-236940
Funnily, I just started putting toasted pine nuts in it about a month ago!
Sandy, that kale and ricotta salata salad sounds equally delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I bet the toasted pine nuts make it even better. I keep meaning to add some golden raisins for just a little hint of sweet but every time I think to do so, I’m already halfway through my salad. Why mess with perfection??