Tags
baby kale, candied pecans, dijon, dried cherries, goat cheese, honey, kale, olive oil, radishes, white wine vinegar
This recipe will definitely be filed under the “fancy dinner salads” category. It’s simple, yet elegant…and tasty! I have never really liked kale…but I found some “baby kale” at the store and just went for it…There seems to be a lot of different types of kale out there, and I am by no means an expert, so please, if you know more, enlighten me…
I seriously can’t wait to eat this salad again (most likely for lunch tomorrow) and I’m wondering if I will like kale any other way…the pairing with the goat cheese, cherries, and dressing is just perfect.
Kale Cherry and Pecan Salad
makes 4 small or 2 large servings
adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
for the salad:
- 5 ounces (entire package pictured above) baby kale
- 4 ounces (about 4 medium-large) radishes
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/3 cup candied pecans, you can coarsely chop, but I kept them whole
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled and crumbled
- salt and pepper for topping
- for the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine (or apple cider) vinegar
- 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Wash kale and allow it to dry by spreading it out on a paper towel. Tear kale into bite sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl. If you are using baby kale, you can keep them whole if you like. Thinly slice radishes and add to the bowl. Add the dried cherries, candied pecans, and goat cheese crumbles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. Whisk until smooth and the oil is well incorporated into the mixture. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss together insuring that all of leaves are coated in dressing. The salad is delicious to eat immediately, but is even better after its rested for 20 minutes, allowing the leaves to become tender.
Baked Northwest 
Up until a few weeks ago, I wasn’t into kale. Like, really wasn’t into it. Everybody told me I should be eating kale… because, you know, it’s the greatest thing ever. It’s the superfood of the century. But I’m not a big salad eater, and every time I tried it, I felt like I couldn’t get over the naturally bitter taste of the kale leaves. In short, I felt like a goat. Fortunately, that all changed when I discovered the kale massage. You heard me right! Believe it or not, massaging the kale leaves for a couple of minutes has a miraculous effect. It removes most of the bitterness of the leaves and gives them a mild, almost sweet flavor.
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