Hooray for kale

Maybe you've noticed the "Eat More Kale" bumper stickers, or maybe you've had a delicious kale salad at the Bluegrass meal here at the school, or maybe you just know the wonders of kale... 

Welcome to week #3 for the CSA. 

This week's feature veggie is, you guessed it: kale!

I love kale. It can be enjoyed raw or sauteed, in soups, in quiches, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Since this veggie is going to be a staple for the season, we'll explore a number of ways to enjoy it. And since this week is a bit hot, I'm going to give you a way to avoid heat in the kitchen - a raw kale salad. 

Once again, I am using my go-to recipe blog: 101 cookbooks

Raw Tuscan Kale Salad

1 bunch kale (washed + stemmed)
2 handfuls good, coarse breadcrumbs (instructions included... use your Sunnyfield bread!)
1/2 garlic clove (or some of last week's scapes)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons (you should have 4 to 5 cups).
Place the kale in a large bowl.

Toast bread it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout.
Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.

Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste.
Transfer the garlic to a small bowl.

Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine.

Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).

Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, some additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.