Monday, January 9, 2012

Kale and Apple Salad


It occurs to me that I haven’t shared nearly enough kale recipes with you, especially given my love for this goddess of leafy greens. New varieties of kale recipes are emerging and I am delighted to see kale slipping into the spotlight.


Let me sing kale’s praises! Toss it into soups and stews during the last few minutes of simmering, sauté and top with a poached egg, enhance your pizzas or roast some kale chips. Combined with grains, legumes or root veggies it makes a hearty salad, side dish or meal. And kale happens to be a nutrition powerhouse - rich in vitamins A, C and K plus fiber, calcium and iron. But I digress from how good kale tastes ...


Our local Puget Consumers Coop makes an incredible kale salad that I adore ... I’ve eaten pounds and pounds of it over the past few years and love every bite. I have to admit I can’t think of a kale salad that I haven’t enjoyed, but what I particularly like about this one is the addition of wild rice with its nutty flavor and chewy texture.


Inspired by this salad, I created one at home that’s ideal for winter with crisp apples, fennel and red cabbage. The sweetness of the apple pairs well with fennel. Red cabbage provides a pop of color against the vibrant, rich green of the raw kale, making it a pretty salad in addition to being delicious. A bright, citrusy dressing pulls all these fresh flavors together nicely. And kale salad stands the test of time – it won’t wilt like more delicate salad greens – which makes it ideal to prepare ahead. I must say, I feel very virtuous eating this salad!


I’m not the only one who can’t resist kale ...

Kale and Apple Salad
Inspired by PCC’s Emerald City Salad
Serves 4-6

1/4 – 1/2 cup lemon juice (depending upon taste and amount of kale)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 large crisp apple, diced (my favorite variety is honeycrisp)
3/4 cup fennel, thinly sliced and chopped
1 cup red cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 bunch organic kale (lacinato or curly green – I like to use a combination of both), ribs removed and finely chopped
1 cup cooked wild rice

Whisk 1/2 cup lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss (use your hands – it’s fun and will distribute the dressing more evenly). Taste for additional lemon juice, salt or pepper and add as desired.

The salad can be made a couple of hours ahead and chilled.

12 comments:

  1. I love how much you love kale...I love it so much too!! Great salad recipe post girl! :)

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  2. @elaina @ Flavour
    Thank you so much, Elaina! I'm happy to know you're a kale lover, too!

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  3. this looks absolutely delicious and exactly what post christmas fare should be. I love the photo with the blue background, it really picks out the purple in the salad. You have done a great sales job on Kale, we get lots of this in our veg box and I am always looking for ideas.

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    1. Thank you so much, Alex! I'm always happy to share some kale love - hope you enjoy the salad!

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  4. Yum! Always looking for new ways to serve kale. Why do Honey Crisp apples taste so good?

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    1. Thanks, Lisa! Good question...honey crisps are the most reliably delicious apple I know of. I hope you enjoy the salad!

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  5. Honey crisps are my favorite too! And sometimes i think i could live on kale. This is really similar to an Emerald Salad a chef acquaintance has made at her restaurant- it is a huge winner. I love the addition on rice. I also sometimes will add quinoa.

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    1. Quinoa is a terrific idea, Susan - I'll keep that in mind. I like including some grains to make it a heartier salad.

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  6. I love this salad, made it tonight and its so fresh and delicious. Every week I feature a recipe from one of the great cooks I know on my blog, I would love to feature this salad this week. I would give you full credit and link to your blog. Would that be alright with you?

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    1. I'd be honored to have this recipe featured on your blog, Suzanne! Thank you so much. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the salad. :)

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  7. It was delicious, I can't wait to go to the food coop tomorrow to get more Kale, I bought some Himalayan red rice today which I am going to use in it this time. I will feature the recipe on Thursday. Thanks so much for letting me feature it.

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    1. My pleasure, Suzanne! Himalayan red rice sounds terrific in the salad. I look forward to seeing your post.

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