In the new year, many food writers like to discuss the latest trends or what’s hot and what’s not. And lately, I’ve been seeing too many articles saying that kale — that crinkly, earthy, slightly bitter and highly nutritious dark green — has already
enjoyed its moment in the culinary sun, that it should start disappearing from our menus and tables, especially in salads.
I think that banishing kale is a terrible idea. Yes, it’s hard to find a restaurant menu or supermarket produce shelf today that doesn’t feature kale. But the fact that it’s everywhere should no more be a reason for us to start ignoring kale than, say, deciding that we won’t eat chicken or pasta because everybody is serving those ingredients.
I myself love the flavor and texture of kale, and as someone who tries every day to make smart food choices, I don’t want to stop eating such a generous source of not
only dietary fiber and vitamins but also micronutrients that research has found can play a role in helping to prevent so many illnesses.
As I see it, the trouble with kale is that too many people don’t know the right way to shop for and prepare it. Many people find the leaves too tough or bitter. That’s why you should not only look for tenderer, milder-tasting baby-
kale leaves, but also take care to remove any tough stems or veins or ribs from them. And as you’ll learn in the following recipe for one of my favorite kale salads, it also makes sense to complement the flavor of the leaves with a tangy-sweet dressing like the mixture I prefer of cider vinegar, honey, olive oil and a touch of walnut oil.
Finally, I add to the kale other complementary flavors, textures and colors — pale leaves of curly endive and beautiful purple and white radicchio, matchsticks of apple, shavings of Parmesan cheese, and candied walnuts that are so easy and delicious that you’ll want to make batches of them regularly.
The result is a salad that looks as beautiful as it tastes delicious and fresh. I think you’ll feel happy to serve it as a first course. You can certainly vary it, too — maybe crumbling in some blue cheese or feta in place of the Parmesan shavings, or candying a different kind of nut such as pecans or hazelnut pieces. If you like, you could top the greens with grilled or broiled seafood or chicken for a main-dish salad. Whichever way you enjoy it, you can be sure you’re benefiting your health — not to mention defying the opinions of the so-called food trend experts.
BABY KALE SALAD WITH APPLES, PARMESAN AND CANDIED WALNUTS
Serves 4
Candied Walnuts:
1 egg white
1 cup coarsely chopped raw shelled walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cider-Honey Dressing:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey, plus more as needed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon walnut oil
Baby Kale Salad:
6 cups baby kale leaves, stemmed, any tough veins or ribs removed, larger leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
1 head curly endive, stemmed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
6 leaves radicchio, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons
1/2 lemon
1 apple, peeled, cored, sliced and cut into matchstick-sized strips
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, cut into havings with a vegetable peeler
Directions:
First, prepare the walnuts. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Put the walnuts in a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the egg whites, and sprinkle in the sugar, cinnamon and cayenne. Stir to coat the walnuts. Spread the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool the nuts to room temperature, then gently separate them. Set aside.
For the dressing, put the vinegar and honey in a bowl, and whisk until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the olive and walnut oils. Taste and, if necessary to balance the acidity, stir in a little more honey.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, curly endive and radicchio. In a separate bowl, squeeze just enough of the lemon over the apple pieces to coat them, and toss thoroughly. Add the apples to the salad, and toss well. Add just enough of the vinaigrette to coat the ingredients, and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Mound the salad mixture on chilled serving plates. Scatter the walnuts evenly over and around the salad. Top with Parmesan shavings.