Hail to Kale

These hot humid days of summer are a perfect time to experiment with different salads. Using curly kale as the predominant green in a salad offers not only a unique taste and texture but also a plate full of great nutrition.

The secret to a successful salad made with firmer greens like kale, chard or collards is to introduce a wilting agent along with adequate time for the greens to lose some of their original crunch, without losing flavor.

Massaging the leaves (hard stems removed) with a bit of olive oil and avocado gives them a tasty head start in the softening department while providing a sensuous mouth feel, then the addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice continues the wilting process.

Allowing the salad to sit for an hour or so at room temperature before serving will give the kale time to soften up and allow the flavors to meld.

This salad is simply kale, tomato, green onions and avocado with a few pine nuts tossed in before serving, a pinch of salt and pepper and the juice from a fresh lemon. How simple is that?

For a live demonstration watch Karen Knowler on YouTube.