Massaged Kale Salad

This is one of those things that I noticed one morning and then seemed to see it everywhere — massaged kale salad. This, of course, means that I had to try it. Basically, you massage sea salt into the kale (preferably dinosaur aka lacinato kale) with your fingertips. This softens the kale and releases its natural moisture and bitterness making it lusciously smooth and tender. This dressing is the perfect pairings of flavors and textures, too, with a nice kick from the ginger and the honey and lemon flavors melding it all together and softening it. I made half a batch for a delicious weekday lunch — mmmm! 

Massaged Kale Salad
Adapted from Eating is Art
Serves 2-4

1 bunch kale
1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons lemon juice (one whole lemon)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 apple (cored and sliced)
6 radishes (sliced)
1 avocado
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread sunflower seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or so. Remove and let cool.

Rinse the kale well and then cut into 1/4 inch wide strips and place in a large bowl. (I prefer to remove the stems, but if you'd like, with the dinosaur kale, it's not really necessary.) Take about a half teaspoon of sea salt and sprinkle it over kale. Then, using your hands, massage and squeeze the kale vigorously, so that the kale softens and moisture begins to sweat out. Taste it to see if you need any more salt, which you probably will. Massage the kale until it’s moist and tender.

Mix together the lemon juice, honey, and ginger. Toss together with the kale. Add the apple, radish, avocado, roasted sunflower seeds and some freshly ground black pepper. Toss again to combine.

Enjoy!

Final Taste of Spring: Shaved Asparagus Salad

Depending where you are, asparagus season may be just about coming to a close. It is here and I've been trying to take full advantage and eat my fill — practically daily. In case you've grown sick of it — gasp — here is a nice variation I had not tried before. It's asparagus in the raw and it's the kind of thing that just can't be done with bland grocery store asparagus. No exact measurements are given — it's all just to taste. You really can't go wrong.

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Parmesan
From Smitten Kitchen

1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds 1 pound asparagus, rinsed (No need to snap off the tough ends)
1 lemon, halved
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread nuts on rimmed baking sheet in single layer  and toast for 5 to 10 minutes. DO set a timer and keep a close eye on things. They turn golden in a flash and then burn in a jiffy. We've all done it!

To shave asparagus, rest a single stalk on a cutting board while holding onto the tough end. Use a vegetable peeler  to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. I'm sure a Y-shaped peeler would make this a breeze, but I used a standard one and it worked just fine. Discard the tough ends once you’re done peeling.

Pile one-third of your ribbons on a medium-sized serving platter. Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Toss gently and then use your peeler to shave curls of Parmesan right off the block, over the asparagus. Sprinkle with some toasted nuts.

Repeat with remaining asparagus, a third of the remaining bundle at a time. Serve immediately.

Chickpea Salad with herbs and parmesan

We're upping the fiber ante in this household these days and this has been my week for legumes. Tasty lentils on Tuesday and today I wrap up the week with a spectacular chickpea salad recipe. I've really been enjoying Molly Wizenberg's (of Orangette) articles in Bon Appetit these days. Her writing style is so straightforward and down-to-earth with topics that always strike a chord. They each include a recipe that fits into her larger narrative piece in such a thoughtful way and it's always seem to be pure comfort food or an assembly of ingredients I use every day. 

My first reaction to this chickpea salad recipe, for example, was that it was made from such familiar ingredients that I must have had them combined in this way at some point in my life. I can assure you, I had not — I would have remembered. The key in something this simple is using the freshest, highest quality ingredients you can manage. So bust out that special olive oil you've been saving. I didn't have basil, so used more parsley and added just a small bit of both mint and cilantro. Perfect!     

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
Bon Appétit | April 2011 | by Molly Wizenberg

1 15-to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse kosher salt

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chickpea salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.

The perfect picnic or potluck salad

Well, it's the Friday of a holiday weekend that pretty much marks the beginning of summer — and boy does it feel like it here! Warm and sunny, perfect for days at the lake, barbecues, picnics and potlucks. So I though I would send you off for the long weekend with a recipe that is terrific on a hot summer day and feeds a crowd. My mom has been making it for a few years now and everyone always loves it. It is bright and refreshing with lots of lemon and dill. It keeps getting better as it chills in the refrigerator so you can make it well in advance, but tastes just as good at room temperature.

Orzo Salad
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tb finely chopped fresh dill
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Pound orzo pasta, cooked al dente and drained
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
2 scallions, finely sliced
1 Tb finely chopped fresh oregano

Whisk together the zest, juice, oil, dill and garlic, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the pasta, cheese, peppers, olives and scallions together in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over and fold and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The recipe is easily halved, and you can always leave out the olives. Hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day with swimming and flip flops, salty snacks and lemonade.

Cheers!

The ultimate microgreen salad

Last year I wrote about my difficulties with thinning plants out effectively. I know, ridiculous. I'm issue-ridden over sprouts. But there it is. My friend, BE, sympathized and told me that she leaves hers on the lawn for the rabbits. But being in an apartment complex, we don't have a whole slew of rabbits — or lawn for that matter. This year, I vowed to harden myself and yank away at the little buggers. Then it came time and I waffled. So I came up with a better plan: we would have the world's microest of microgreen salads. I felt much better about pulling them out knowing they would be eaten, even though I knew all along that I was giving the other little plants a better chance of growing up to be big and tall and healthy. Parsley, cilantro, dill, spinach, radish and wee little lettuce sproutlets — roots and all, with a couple rings of scallions thrown in for good measure. No dressing required. I highly recommend it.

Now I Can Say I've Tried It: Kumquats

Their bright cheery color and sweet size alone win me over with kumquats — not to mention the name. It just kinda rolls of the tongue. But it turns out I love the taste, too. It's not surprising since I'm a huge citrus fan, but I was always daunted by the thought of peeling each little itty bitty orb. Silly, I know now. I never realized you can eat the skin. Just pop the whole thing in your mouth for a bright burst of tart yet sweet.

I thought for my first try other than tasting one on its own, I would bake them into a quick bread. But while digging around online, I came across this thread on Chowhound. It has so many more great suggestions. I ended up throwing together a salad suggested by one commentor who had tried a similar one at Zuni.


Farro Salad with Kumquats
Farro
feta cheese
sliced kumquats
spring onions
arugula, beet greens, or other leafy green
Toasted pine nuts or walnuts, optional

Cook farro as directed. Mix all and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

I know, I know. Not exactly an exact recipe here, but come on. It's a salad. It's up to you. Put in however much you feel like. Add to it. Subtract. Skip the kumquats all together — well, don't go that far. They're the best part!

I had actually never tried beet greens either. I chopped them quite small in the salad since they are so bitter raw, but it was a perfect blend with the bright, tart citrus flavor.

I even blanched more of the beet greens, squeezed them dry and threw them in an omelette with some scallions. I guess my body was craving some dark leafy greens to make up for all the things like buffalo chili, Swedish meatballs and spare ribs we've been having in honor of winter!

I still have a handful of kumquats left in the refrigerator and may just try that quick bread yet.

Have a great weekend — try something new if you have the chance! You can check out some of the other new foods I've tried here and here.

The kindness of neighbors

I don't know if it is because I talk about food all of the time, or if we are just amazingly lucky, but our neighbors seem to be constantly bringing gifts of food to the boy and me. (I am quite sure it is not because we look incredibly undernourished!) Last night we received not one, but two gifts of food from two different neighbors: the gorgeous bowl of cherries and blueberries seen above and delicious homemade kibbeh. This is making me love apartment living.

I went ahead and made a purslane and cucumber salad after my post last week about the purslane. Being a succulent, the leaves are thicker than most greens giving it an incredible texture and it has a delicious, slightly peppery taste. I really enjoyed it and thought you might to:

Purslane and cucumber salad

Combine in a bowl:
3-4 c. purslane, chopped (thick stems removed and discarded)
1 medium cucumber
2 scallions
handful of dried cranberries

Dressing:
1/2 cup yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tb olive oil
Handful of mint, chopped
Pinch of ground coriander
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients for dressing, pour over salad and toss to coat.

Enjoy!