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Kale, Apple and Brussels Sprouts Salad

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If you had told me a few years ago that I would actually crave a kale salad, I would have thought you were crazy. I used to hate kale. It made my throat itchy.

Apparently, I was doing it all wrong. I was buying curly kale, and using it raw, in salads. Curly kale is best for blending into smoothies or sauteeing, stews and soups, where the heat can mellow it’s bitter bite.

For eating raw, Tuscan Kale (aka Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale or Cavalo Nero/Black Kale) is a better choice. It is a bit more tender than the curly variety and the flavour, while still quite earthy, has an almost nutty sweetness. You need to remove the stems, slice it quite thin and let it sit in the dressing for about 10 minutes before serving. That will help to tenderize the leaves.

Since discovering Tuscan kale, I now crave it. I have made this salad a few times this month. Last time I made it I added some raw shredded Brussels sprouts for extra crunch. (Not shown in video). Highly recommend the addition.

The dressing for this salad is a spiced apple cider vinaigrette. I got the dressing recipe from thecozyapron.com. A few pinches of cinnamon, curry powder and cumin create a wonderful depth of flavour that really holds up under the weight of the kale and sprouts. Gouda cheese adds a richness and the spiced nuts add crunch, an essential component of any salad as far as I’m concerned.

The apples I used in this salad have a surprising pink flesh. They are called Lucy Rose. I have been seeing them on Instagram for a few years now and became obsessed with finding them in real life. I finally found them last week at Hintonburg market in Ottawa.

They are a cross between a Honeycrisp and Airlie apple. They have a sweet-tart taste with a crunchy texture, very similar to a Honeycrisp. While they are quite dramatic, the salad will still be delicious with a Honeycrisp apple.

Click here to print recipe for Kale Apple and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Spiced Vinaigrette.

Pear and Kale Salad

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If we’re being completely honest here, I must confess that salads in the salt and serenity kitchen are usually served tossed, in a stainless steel mixing bowl and eaten while standing over the sink. Perhaps some of you loyal readers can relate.

I created this salad as a homework assignment for a course I am taking on food composition from the immensely talented Rachel Korinek. The objective was to focus on the macro-level of styling salad. Let the salad be the hero and fill the frame.

I went grocery shopping to get inspired. I ignored all the obvious orange fall produce like pumpkins and squash. I dislike pumpkins (well, more like detest pumpkin spice, but that’s a rant for another day) and I always cook with squash, so that didn’t present much of a challenge for me. When I saw these gorgeous Starkrimson red pears, I knew I had found my intended. The shape of pears is so graceful.

Once I had chosen my hero, I could figure out the rest. I added some pomegranates because they add shine and a beautiful jolt of red. If you have ever studied colour theory, you know that the complementary colour choice to red is green (opposites on the colour wheel). I went for a mix of greens, kale for a dark emerald shade and arugula for a a hit of brighter green.

I picked up some shallots. Their violet colour be a beautiful accent against the red and green. Pickling them would add a sour counterpoint to the sweet pears. For crunch, I candied some walnuts in maple syrup.

I decided to plate this on a cutting board (top photo), for a casual feeling. I saw Jamie Oliver do this on his show and you know how I feel about Jamie Oliver! I decided to roast the pears instead of using them raw in the salad. I sliced them two different ways for a variety of shapes.

Click here to print recipe for Pear-and-Kale-SaladDownload

Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Sumac Vinaigrette

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Oscar Wilde once said, “I am not young enough to know everything.” As I age, I have learned to not rule out any possibilities. Kale is a perfect case in point. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I used to be a kale hater. Turns out, I was wrong. I just didn’t understand kale. Much like some people, kale is tough and needs a bit of massaging to coax out her very best qualities.

I recently had a kale salad at Mudtown Flats, in Owen Sound that blew me away and changed my mind about kale salads. I came home and immediately set about trying to recreate it. I think I nailed it. I urge you to give it a try.

Seek out Tuscan Kale (also known as Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale or Cavalo Nero/Black Kale). It is a bit more tender than the curly variety and the flavour, while still quite earthy, has an almost nutty sweetness. The first step is to remove the tough stems.

Next, I’m going to give you the opportunity to practice your knife skills and ask you to slice the leaves as thin as you can. Remember to tuck your fingers under and away from the knife.

Next, treat the kale to a good sprinkling of kosher salt and get your hands in there to gently massage the leaves. I learned this trick from Mark Bittman. Did you guys know he recently started an online food magazine called Heated?  It’s illuminating, highly entertaining and very well written.

The salt, combined with the massaging action, helps to break down the cell walls of the kale and make it more tender. Rub the kale leaves together between your fingers, only until it  starts to wilt. It will only take a minute or two. Let it sit while you get on with the rest of the salad.

As in choosing a life mate, what you choose to pair with the kale is an important decision. Squash is an excellent partner. The sweetness of squash is the perfect foil for kale’s slighly bitter edge.

Cut the squash into little cubes, give it a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven until the edges get all brown and crispy.

With every salad I compose, I aim for contrast in both flavour and texture. Kale and walnuts are slightly bitter. Squash and golden raisins will balance the bitterness perfectly.

Crunch comes from toasted pumpkin seeds and walnuts. Walnuts are another ingredient I used to hate. Again, I didn’t really understand how and when to use them. They must be very well toasted or they will taste very mealy and unpleasant.

I added some feta cheese for creaminess and salt. If you can find Bulgarian feta, give it a try. It has a creamier texture than Greek feta. Check out this post if you’re a cheese geek and keen to learn about the differences between all the different styles of feta.

Sumac, a dried middle-eastern spice, adds a liveliness and lemony kick to this vinaigrette. It’s becoming more widely available and you’ll find yourself using it in dry rubs or marinades for chicken lamb, fish and vegetables as well as a finishing spice for humus and other dips and spreads. This astringent and tangy spice is very versatile.

Click here to print recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Sumac Vinaigrette