Kale Salad with Parmesan and Lemon
As summer comes to an end, we are sharing the last recipe of our summer series! Recently I’ve been gravitating towards recipes that are fresh, cool and fast. This amazing kale salad with parmesan and lemon has quickly become a favorite of mine! The fresh kale, garlic, shredded parmesan, red chili flakes, and lemony dressing is a combination I can get behind. It’s everything you could want from a summer salad- it’s fresh, light, flavorful, and has the most amazing texture!
Kale Salad with Parmesan and Lemon
Ingredients for Salad Dressing:
5 tablespoons fresh juice and 1 tablespoon zest from 2 to 3 lemons
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated on a microplane grater (about 2 ½ cups) * A good quality, store purchased and already grated cheese is an acceptable substitute.
¾ cup neutral oil (such as safflower or canola)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for Salad:
12 ounces kale leaves, large stems removed, sliced into thin ribbons
½ cup fresh mint leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
1 serrano chili, thinly sliced, if desired, for garnish
Ingredients for Croutons:
2 cups finely cubed sourdough bread
Olive Oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Salad Dressing:
Combine lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, mustard, egg yolk, chili flakes, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until homogenous, and fully emulsified, about 10 -15 seconds. With food processor running, slowly drizzle neutral oil through feed tube, stopping the processor to scrape down sides as necessary until a smooth emulsion is formed, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in ½ cup olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Croutons:
Heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread cubes and cook, tossing and stirring constantly until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Place kale into a large bowl and massage it (sounds silly I know but it tenderizes the leaves) and add the mint.
In another large serving bowl add about ½ cup dressing (more or less as desired). Transfer the kale & mint to the serving bowl. Toss to coat well and let sit around 3 minutes. Add more dressing if desired. Top with croutons and sliced chilies. Serve immediately.
