Skip to main content

Massaged Kale-Apple Salad

By
Didn't get around to posting this yesterday. We ate it, but I wasn't able to blog it until today. Sorry!

For its namesake national food holiday, kale is getting a massage. I have seen "massaged" kale salads on menus before and thought: What the heck! Why would I do that?

But I did some reading today, in honor of National Kale Day, and decided to give it a try - or rather set my Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf on it.

Raw kale is tough, so you need break down the fibers somehow. In the past I have blanched it, softening it before using it in a recipe. Apparently, massaging it accomplishes the same thing. Okey dokey. I've never massaged produce before.

D, can you help Mommy with dinner?
"Sure, what can I do?"
Can you please massage the kale in that bowl?
"What?"
Massage the kale, please.
"Did it have a hard day?"
Yes.
"Okay."


He's so agreeable. I love it! And he did a great job, too.


1 bunch kale (Thank you, Fogline Farm!) - larger ribs removed and thinly sliced
2 T olive oil
3 T tangerine juice (feel free to use whatever citrus you have)
freshly ground sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 roasted beet, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 C grated parmesan (feel free to use whatever hard cheese you have)
1/2 C sliced almonds

Place the kale in a large mixing bowl and pour the olive oil and tangerine juice over the leaves. Massage until the leaves are softened and have turned from a greyish-green to a bright, deep emerald. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the apples and beets. And stir in the grated cheese and almonds. Let sit for another 10 minutes before serving so the flavors can fully develop.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Debra EliotseatsOctober 5, 2013 at 8:55 AM

    I have got to try this. I have seen a lot of recipes for massaged kale.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

By
If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce
1 comment
Read more

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

By
To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P
9 comments
Read more

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

By
photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an
183 comments
Read more