Italian Kale Caesar Salad Recipes

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Place mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Set aside.
• Place kale in a large salad bowl. Using your hands, massage the kale to soften slightly. Add a few dollops of the dressing on top of the kale, and stir until all pieces are lightly coated with the dressing. Sprinkle with croutons and top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

KALE SALAD WITH PANCETTA AND PECORINO

Steps:

• For the dressing, place the anchovies, garlic, mustard, egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 30 seconds until smooth. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube, until the mixture emulsifies. Add the grated Pecorino and process just until combined. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner. Remove the rib from each leaf. Stack the leaves and slice them thinly crosswise, as you would coleslaw. Place the kale in a large bowl and toss with enough dressing to moisten.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan. Add the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, tossing frequently, until browned and crisp. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the bread cubes to the pan, sprinkle with salt, and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing frequently, until evenly browned. Add the pancetta, toasted bread, and shaved Pecorino to the kale and toss with large spoons. Serve at room temperature.

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Remove the tough stems from the kale and chop it as coarsely or finely as you like. We went for thin strips, but you can use larger pieces if desired. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and massage with your hands to soften; set aside.
• Meanwhile, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, garlic powder, and salt on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until the bread is golden brown, shaking the baking sheet after 6 minutes to ensure even browning.
• Add the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic clove, dijon mustard, anchovy fillet(s), remaining lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, then with the processor on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil as it is blending.
• Add the dressing to the bowl with kale. Using a wooden spoon, pound the kale and the dressing together. This will tenderize the kale and help it absorb the flavors from the dressing. Stir and continue to pound with the spoon for another minute. It's hard to bruise the kale, so don't be afraid.
• Chop the baked bread cubes until they resemble large breadcrumbs.
• Toss the dressed salad with the shaved parmesan and crumbled croutons. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Pulse egg yolk, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, oregano, colatura (if using), and cayenne in a food processor or blender until smooth. Combine canola oil and 1/2 cup olive oil in a measuring cup with spout. With the motor running, add blended oil in a very thin stream; purée until a creamy emulsion forms. Add cheese and pulse to combine. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
• Toss bread with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing once or twice, until crisp and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Combine kale and croutons in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing and toss to combine.
• Do ahead
• Dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

TUSCAN KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Trim bottom 2 inches off kale stems and discard. Slice kale, including ribs, into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place kale in a large bowl.
• If using bread, toast it until golden on both sides. Tear it into small pieces and grind in a food processor until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Using a mortar and pestle, or with the back of a knife, pound garlic into a paste. Transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper flakes and black pepper, and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss very well to thoroughly combine (dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat leaves).
• Let salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with bread crumbs, additional cheese and a drizzle of oil.

KALE-ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Make the croutons: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the soft bread out of the center of the loaf, leaving the crust behind, and tear the soft bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 3 cups. Spread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden and crisp. Let cool.
• Prepare the kale: One large leaf at a time, use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut along the sides of the tough center ribs. (Or, use your fingers to pull the leaves off the rib.) Pull out the rib and discard. When all leaves are trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces. (Do not shred.)
• Prepare the romaine: Cut large leaves crosswise into bite-size pieces. Leave inner leaves whole.
• Fill a sink or salad spinner with very cold water and submerge the leaves. Swish and let soak 5 to 10 minutes. Working in batches, lift out and drain on a kitchen towel, then dry in a salad spinner.
• Place a plastic bag filled with ice in the bottom of a salad bowl. Pile the washed leaves on top, cover with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• In a blender (or using a hand blender), combine the garlic, anchovies, mustard, a large pinch of salt, about a dozen grinds of black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
• Cook the egg: Poach in simmering water or in a microwave, until yolk is thickened but still runny. (To poach in a microwave, break egg into a glass bowl or measuring cup. Gently pour in warm water to cover the egg by about 1/2 inch. In bursts of 30 seconds or less, depending on microwave power, cook egg until white is just firm and yolk is thickened. Hold a slotted spoon over the sink and pour the egg and water into it, so the cooked egg is held in the spoon while the cooking water and any uncooked whites drain off.) Put the egg in the dressing and blend.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings with mustard, oil, lemon, salt and pepper. It should be pungent and sharp but not acidic. Blend again, transfer to a container with a tightfitting lid, and chill until ready to use.
• When ready to serve (or up to 2 hours beforehand), remove towel and ice from the bowl and fluff the greens. (If necessary, transfer to a larger bowl; you will need plenty of room for tossing.) Shake the dressing. To the greens, add half the croutons, half the dressing and half the cheese and toss well. Taste and toss with remaining dressing as needed. (If necessary, transfer the tossed salad back to the salad bowl.) Add remaining croutons. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top and grind coarse pepper over that. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 2 hours). Toss once more at the table.

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Toss in half the garlic and the crushed red pepper and bring the pan to medium heat. Cook the garlic until it becomes golden and very aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the garlic and ditch it-it has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Toss in the bread cubes and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden, crisp, and have absorbed all the oil, like little olive oil sponges. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the Parmigiano, lemon zest and juice, the remaining garlic, the Dijon, anchovies, and Worcestershire. Puree until the mixture is smooth, 15 to 20 seconds. With the machine running, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Let the processor continue to run for another 10 to 15 seconds. Taste and season with salt if needed.
• In a large bowl, toss the kale with the croutons and two-thirds of the dressing. Let the kale sit for 3 to 4 minutes to soften. Taste, add the remaining dressing, and adjust the seasoning if needed.