This recipe is from an article I wrote and photographed for Edible Magazine for their Wellness Issue. Often called Lacinato or Dino Kale, you can find this dark leafy green at your local farmer’s market into the early winter. Kale has a reputation as a superfood for good reason, containing an incredible amount of lutein, Vitamins K, A, C, and manganese and copper. For a warming salad, roasting the kale with big coconut flake and adding seasonal and preserved fruits and vegetables is a welcome and colorful addition to any winter table.
Ingredients:
2 large bunches of Lacinato or Dino Kale, removed from the main stem and torn into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup of large flake coconut, unsweetened
2-3 purple carrots, finely shredded
1/2 of one pomegranate, seeds removed
1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 dried golden berries/ground cherries or dried tart cherries, unsweetened
Purple daikon radish, cut in thin rounds
Edible flowers, if available
1/8 cup pickled radish or pickled purple cabbage
4 Tbsps toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. of soy sauce
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Evenly spread the torn kale and flaked coconut onto 2 large baking sheets. Pour half of the toasted sesame oil and soy sauce on one sheet and half on the other. Use your hands to every coat the kale and coconut with the oil and sauce, and put both sheets into the preheated oven. Check every 5-7 minutes, using a spatula to rotate the kale and coconut, evenly roasting both. Once the kale has reduced in size and is beginning to get some brown or crisped edges, pull out both pans. Let them cool for a few minutes and then combine them in a large salad bowl. Starting from the center, add a pile of purple shredded carrot, sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds, add the tomatoes and the ground cherries, the purple daikon rounds, and the brightly colored pickle on top of the carrots in the center. Dress with the toasted black sesame dressing and serve.
Toasted Black Sesame Dressing
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. pan-toasted black sesame seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 water
Juice and zest of one small lime
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Directions:
In a small skillet, lightly toast the black sesame seeds and then add to the blender. Blend all ingredients together and pour to taste on the salad. Save what you don’t use for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
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