Smoky Kale Salad

There are some ingredients that will always draw me in to try a recipe. If something calls for smoked paprika I’m bound to try it! It’s one of my favorite ingredients and a little bit goes a long way. Add the eggs and almonds just before serving. The key to a great kale salad is massaging the kale – it sounds funny! Just toss with tongs for a few minutes, you’ll see the kale start to soften. Or just dig right in with your bare hands! Be sure to cut the kale into thin shreds similar to what you would do for a slaw. The easiest way to do this is to remove the kale stems, roll the leaves into a tight bundle, and slice thin.

Use a salad spinner to wash and completely dry the greens. Transfer to a large bowl with extra room to massage the kale in the dressing.

Taste the dressed greens, if the raw kale is a little bitter add salt and lemon to counter the flavor. You can also let the greens sit up to four hours before finishing the salad.

Toss together the rest of the ingredients and serve! This recipe comes from my new favorite cookbook Brassicas by Laura B. Russell. This book is thoughtfully arranged and she really has some great ideas for cooking brassicas – greens, turnips, cabbages, and more. I barely adjusted the ingredients, but I also think crumbled bacon would be a great addition. For a vegan variation add artichokes instead of eggs. Russell also recommends using macrona almonds – you can usually find them in the cheese section of well-stocked grocery stores – and shaving Manchego cheese over the top for a truly Spanish salad. Let us know how you make it in the comments!

Smoky Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale – any variety from our CSA will work, Red Russian Kale is pictured
2 eggs, hardboiled
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted, or macrona almonds
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper

Chop kale. Remove kale stems, and roll greens into a large bundle. Finely slice. Place in a salad spinner, and fill the bowl with water to submerge the greens. Swish around several times, then lift the strainer out of the bowl and drain the water. Spin greens dry.

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss kale with dressing, tossing with tongs or your hands for several minutes to massage the kale. Greens can be refrigerated for up to four hours.

Add eggs and almonds to salad just before serving.