Kenyan massaged kale with butternut squash and apples
This is one of three recipes I am showcasing to honor the work our friends at Cradle to career Kenya are doing. C2C has fed, housed and educated nearly 900 Kenyan orphans since opening in 2005.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup whole cashews
- 1.5 T sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/4 t pepper
- 1.5 t sumac, divided
- 4 slices thick cut bacon (optional)
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 pound lacinato or dinosaur kale
- 2 pinches salt
- 4 T olive oil, divided
- Juice from 1 lemon, divided
- 1 apple cut into 1/2” chunks
- 3 – 4 thin slices of red onion
- 3 ounces white cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes
- Splash of red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put cashews in a medium hot frying pan. Sprinkle sugar over cashews and stir until sugar is dissolved and nuts are caramelized. Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1/2 t sumac. Stir to coat. Spread caramelized nuts on a sheet of foil to cool. Set aside.
- Toss the butternut squash in 2 T olive oil. Spread on baking sheets. Season with salt, pepper and 1 t sumac. Roast for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip. Return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Fry bacon strips until crispy. Remove and put on a sheet of paper towel to drain.
- Cut the spines from the kale using kitchen sheers or a knife. Cut kale into 2 – 3″ bite size pieces. Put the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and 2 T olive oil. Using your hands massage the kale until it changes in texture and color to a supple dark green. This will take 2-5 minutes depending on kale type and maturity. Add juice from 1/2 lemon and massage another minute.
- Add butternut squash, apple chunks, red onion, crumbled bacon, cheese and caramelized cashews. Toss with a splash of vinegar. Add additional lemon juice to taste.