Sunday, August 23, 2015

Thank You Food Network

I wote this on a cell phone; please forgive the errors. I'll fix the formatting one day.

I have been really late to jump on the kale salad bandwagon. I was there for butternut squash and cupcakes. (Collards and red velvet cake were already part of my existence.)

After one astronomical restaurant experience and one good one. I decided it was time. I purchased two bags of kale on a Friday night.

The next morning, salad karma proved itself true as I watched the Food Network. Damaris Phillips made her Kale "Caesar" Salad. People -- this has changed my life. (So much so, it made me blog.)

It starts with the most fabulous dressing. I really do mean fabulous. I double the recipe and store it in a 2 - cup Pyrex measuring cup.

Garlic, capers and kosher salt.
Making a paste is such a chef-y technique :-) I give the garlic a rough chop first. Sprinkle with the salt and smash away.
We have a paste!
Assemble and combine the unusual suspects. Missing from the pic are freshly-ground black pepper, cayenne and lemon juice (freshly-squeezed of course). Life is easier if you have ground cloves.
Introduce everyone ...
See how nicely they get along?
I love my lidded measuring cups!
Dress the kale and stash it in the fridge. It needs to hang out for at least 30 minutes or as my co-worker puts it, the kale will taste "all forest-y."
Here's where I leave the recipe. Toast some pine nuts. Chill a wine glass.
Don't know if you can see it, but the kale is less sturdy now. It still has some chew to it.
Toss everything, plate and find your wine! A note on cheese: I add grated Parmesan with the pine nuts for flavor. The shaved is to make it look pretty.

Tools of the Trade
  • Totally Bamboo Butcher Block 3 Prep Board Honey
  • Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife
  • 2-Cup Pyrex Measuring Cup
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