To me, there's no better souvenir from a trip than to come home with inspiration to recreate something you ate on the trip. That way, every time you crave it, and make it, and eat it, you're reliving the joy of that trip. AND you don't have to dust it around it on your shelf, like so many other vacation mementos we bring back from afar. And so it is with this kale parmesan salad.
This recipe isn't from too far, but it was enough that it caught my tastebuds off guard. I didn't expect this kale salad from Well Bred Bakery in Weaverville, NC to be anything that I'd have on my mind for a week after the trip. But I did have the forethought to snap a photo of the ingredients of the salad, which was thankfully posted on the wall, probably to help people with dietary restrictions figure out what they want to order.
I took some very thoughtful bites to try and determine what was going on in this salad and though I cannot confirm it, I felt like it had to be dressed with a Parmesan vinaigrette, with how pervasive the Parmesan was in each bite. It wasn't just here and there where a curl of cheese was tucked into the crevice of a kale leaf. No, this salty-cheesy taste was throughout. It had to be in the dressing. I used this Parmesan vinaigrette recipe from Bunny's Warm Oven, and took it from there on the rest of the ingredients. It was so delicious I made Patrick get up from a random 6:30 p.m. nap he decided to take to try it out.
Kale Parmesan Salad
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic minced
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz chopped kale
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- red chili pepper flakes to taste
- ½ cup raisins, cranberries, or halved orange slices
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- extra finely grated Parmesan to garnish optional
Instructions
- Mix the first six ingredients together by shaking in a jar to emulsify, or whisking quickly with a fork or whisk. Set aside.
- Place the chopped kale in a large bowl or container, pour lemon juice over top. Use your hands to massage the lemon juice into the kale.
- Add a few shakes of red chili flakes over the kale. I used three.
- Add in the raisins, slivered almonds, and the dressing. Put a lid on the container and shake to mix well. Or use a large spoon or tongs to combine well if it's in a bowl without a lid.
- Serve immediately with an extra garnish of Parmesan and black pepper, or refrigerate before serving.
Did you ever think you'd want to make a kale salad this much? If you're my dad... don't answer!