Contemplating Kale

I’ve never been one to follow the culinary crowd and the seemingly endless obsession with kale is no exception.  I love greens and have enjoyed cooking with them for years but I have been reluctant to incorporate kale.  It seemed a little too trendy (never a word used to describe me.) So, on principle, I  took a stand in favor of other, decidedly less cool, greens such as swiss chard and spinach. That all changed this spring when I had a couple of wonderful, raw kale dishes and tasted what I was missing. I realized it was time to jump on the preverbal kale bandwagon.

Since Kale is not in season here yet, I headed to Trader Joe’s, bought a couple of bags of chopped kale and began to experiment.  This delicious KilKenney Kale Salad is the first result. It combines – apples and fennel along with the kale for a bright flavor and hearty crunch.   I mixed up a quick, delicious vinaigrette using my favorite Mustard Girl American Dijon (gluten free, delicious and widely available), and served it up to rave reviews!

I hope you will try this easy, tasty KilKenney Kale Salad, and now that I’m a believer, I would love to hear about your favorite kale recipes too.

KilKenney Kale Salad

This bright, beautiful and healthy salad will please everyone in your house. The apple and fennel combine with the citrusy dressing to create a salad that's both light and hearty. It pairs wonderfully with everything from grilled steak and pork tenderloin to sautéed chicken.

Servings 4 people

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 8 cups chopped kale 3/4 of a bag or 1 large bunch
• 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons
• 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large apple granny smith or other crisp apple
• 1 bulb fresh fennel small
• 2 tbsp toasted pumpkins seeds or walnuts

Instructions

Prepare the Kale

• 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.
  

Prepare 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
  

Make the Salad

• 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)