KilKenney Kale Salad

Wash the kale. If whole, remove the tough stems and chop the leaves into large pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl. If I can't find kale at the farmer's market, I buy a bagged of chopped kale at Trader Joe's or my local grocery store.

Squeeze the juice from half of the lemon over the kale. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Using your hands, massage the kale until it becomes a little softer and darker green - 3 or 4 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.

A good dijon mustard is a staple for your kitchen. I discovered this wonderful Mustard Girl American Dijon recently and fell in love. It's gluten free and has a mellow, complex flavor. Check their website for a list of stores by state

Squeeze the other half of the lemon into a jar. Add the 1 tsp of mustard, 1 tbsp of cider vinegar, 1 tsp of honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well

Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil into the vinegar mix, cover and shake like crazy until the dressing blends completely

If your pumpkin seeds (or walnuts) are raw, spread them on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.

Cut the apple off the core and peel

Cut the apples into thin slices - like matchsticks

Wash the fennel bulb (Isn't that beautiful?) Fennel is one of my favorite ingredients - mellow, licorice-like in flavor, it's wonderful raw or cooked. You'll find it in the produce section of most large grocery stores. If you can't find it - add a carrot sliced thin - it won't be quite as flavorful but will still be great

Cut the bottom off the bulb and peel off the tough outermost layer. I usually throw the fennel tops (known as fronds) in the freezer and add them when I'm making chicken stock

Slice the fennel bulb very thin. I (carefully!) use a handheld mandoline (I love the OXO. It's a great tool and only about $15.00 from Amazon) If you don't have one, just use a sharp knife

You'll want about 1/4 cup of thin slices for the salad. If you have extra, store it in the fridge. You can sauté it with onions for a soup or sauce or add it raw to a green salad.

Add the fennel slices and the apple slices to the kale mixture

Give the dressing a final shake to be sure it's well blended and pour about 1/2 over the salad.

Add the pumpkin seeds, toss and taste. Add more dressing as needed. If you have leftover dressing, store it in the refrigerator - it's great on any green salad.

Pile on a plate and serve. This salad pairs well with everything from grilled steak and pork tenderloin to my Pan Seared Chicken. (see the recipe index)