Summer Salad Smackdown: Talk About Going Green!

It was a revelation, an epiphany, an awakening. I'd had brussels sprouts before, of course, roasted, steamed, stir-fried and hashed. But what was sitting on my lunch plate at Olympic Provisions was different in almost every way, a salad comprised of shaved, raw brussels sprouts.

Yes, raw. With a few roughly chopped castelvetrano olives and a hint of minced anchovies, tossed with a very simple dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon and salt.

Crunchy, bright and irresistible, I went back again and again. I couldn't stop talking about it. I made several stabs at copying it, finally achieving my goal. Then brussels sprouts went out of season and I had to find a substitute.

Then it hit me…raw kale! I'd made a run at a kale salad before, and while it was perfectly acceptable, it hadn't grabbed me the way the brussels sprout salad had. So with a bunch of my favorite kale, lacinato, in hand, I chopped a fine chiffonade of the dark springy leaves, mixed in the rest of the ingredients and took a bite.

Perfection! It's now become the hit of our summer table, since it's a great match with any grilled fish,  chicken or meat, and is comfortable in any setting, whether fancy or casual. Who would have thought raw could be so refined?

Kale Salad with Anchovies, Olives and Lemon

1 bunch lacinato kale (also known as Tuscan, black or cavalo nero)
10 castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly chopped
3-6 anchovies, minced
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon or chopped preserved lemons
Salt to taste

Chop a fine chiffonade of kale. It's not necessary to remove the stems completely, though I remove the thicker stems at the bottom and chop the remaining greens. Place kale in large salad bowl and add the olives, anchovies (start with the lesser number and add to taste), olive oil and lemon juice. Toss, adding salt to taste. I like to make this a half hour before serving so the kale has a chance to wilt slightly.

More salads in the Smackdown: Panzanella with Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil and Grilled Bread.

Greens Salad

It's like seeing your child in a suit and tie. All of a sudden he's not your little boy any more, but a young (and quite handsome) young man. Even though he's had a beard since high school and is taller than his dad (who, at 6'4", presented quite a challenge), somehow I was never able to completely rid my brain of the picture of him as a kid.

What does that have to do with the lacinato kale pictured above? The first time I made this kale salad, it gave me a whole new vision of what green salad could be. Heartier than a lettuce salad, not like the sautéed greens I've come to crave this past year, it's something new.

The recipe's from my neighbor Susana, whose Asian Chicken Wings have been the hit of so many appetizer spreads. Thoroughly mixing the greens with the olive oil, lemon and salt ahead of time and letting them naturally wilt (called a "quick cure") still leaves the kale with a toothsome texture and somehow sweetens the flavor. This would be great with any barbecued meat, from chicken to pork, and could be livened up with chopped egg, toasted pine nuts or bacon bits.

Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
Fresh-ground pepper to taste

With knife, remove center veins from kale. Stack several leaves together and slice into 1/2" strips and do the same with the rest of the leaves. Place in large salad bowl, add oil, lemon juice and salt. Using your hands, work the oil mixture into the leaves for at least a minute, then let sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes to cure. Adjust seasoning to taste and add any additional ingredients just before serving.