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My Favorite Kale Salad

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This addictive massaged kale salad created by Sarah Jampel will last for several days in the fridge and is great for packing a lunch. Make a big batch and enjoy for multiple meals.

Ingredients

Scale

For the lentils:

  • Splash of olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 1 1/2 cups French de Puy lentils or black Beluga lentils, rinsed
  • 1 quart chicken stock

For the kale:

For the dressing and almonds:

  • 3 – 4 scallions sliced white parts separated from green
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 4 strips of lemon peel from a single lemon, reserving the lemon for later
  • 1/2 cup good olive oil
  • 1 cup blanched, slivered almond
  • 1 T whole cumin seeds
  • 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

For the salad:

  • Green onion slices (reserved from the dressing)
  • 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup green pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
  • Lemon juice from one lemon (reserved from peeled lemon used in dressing)

Instructions

For the lentils:

  1. Put a splash of olive oil in the bottom of a 2 – 3 quart sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Add minced shallots and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until shallots soften. Add lentils and cook for another 2 – minutes, stirring.
  2. Add 1 quart of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until lentils are al dente, firm, but cooked through. Add additional stock or water if the pot starts to go dry. Drain any remaining  liquid and set aside.

For the kale:

  1. Remove the spines of the kale with your fingers. You can roast these for snacks if you wish or discard. My dogs happen to love kale spines and pester me for them while I make the salad. After you remove the spines, gather the kale into a bunch and chop it with a large knife until the kale is in 1 – 2″ pieces.
  2. Place kale into a large bowl with a generous pinch of kosher salt and begin massaging it. Grab handfuls of kale and roll it around between your fingers until the kale darkens in color and becomes smooth and silky. This will take a couple minutes. Set aside.

For the dressing and toppings:

  1. Put the white slices of the green onion, the smashed garlic and the lemon peel in a skillet. Add the olive oil and heat on medium heat for a few minutes until the garlic begins to color and the lemon slices curl.
  2. Add the sliced almonds and cook another 2 – 3 minutes until the almonds begin to brown, stirring to prevent burning. Remove from heat and add cumin seeds and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. The hot oil will bloom the spices and release their flavors.
  3. Let cool a couple minutes then strain the almond and garlic mixture from the oil, reserving the oil for the dressing. Spread the almond mixture on a paper towel-lined plate and season with a good pinch of kosher salt. The almonds will become crunchy as they cool.
  4. Squeeze the lemon juice into the seasoned olive oil and whisk together.

For the salad:

  1. Combine the lentils, massaged kale, sliced green onions, seasoned almonds, feta cheese and dressing in a large bowl, tossing with your hands. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

I do not recommend substituting traditional lentils, curly kale or other olives. Beluga and French de Puy lentils are smaller, firmer and tastier. When massaged, curly kale will not achieve the same silkiness as Tuscan kale and there is not a good substitute for Castelvetrano olives. The bright flavor of these intensely green olives are key to this salad.

Find it online: https://somethingnewfordinner.com/recipe/my-favorite-kale-salad/

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