This will probably be the last of the recipes from this year’s soup party. This month is flying by and I haven’t even talked about the cake for my son’s birthday party yet. I gotta keep this train moving.

In addition to the soups, I mentioned we had side dishes. There were my rolls, desserts and also a kale salad. My good friends at Pizza Your Face were kind enough to pass on this recipe after I first had the dish at their annual soup party some time back.

It’s a cross between having your kale and embracing the garlicky zip of a Caesar salad. While I imagined the hearty leaves of kale would be tough, the lemon in the dressing did nicely to soften them up a bit. And while taking on an entire bunch of kale from the supermarket seems like overkill, this salad can hold up in the refrigerator for up to a week without getting slimy. 

And my toddler loves it. So, you know, there’s that. Seriously, next time you see him say, “kale.” I would bet you dollars to donuts that he’ll smile.

Raw, but Tender, Kale Salad adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Kale
• 1/2 cup coarse breadcrumbs (homemade is best, but not mandatory)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup of grated cheese (pecorino, parmesan)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 tsp plus a pinch of salt (coarse if you have it)
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Remove center stem from kale by folding leaves in half and ripping leaves away from stem, slice leaves into ribbons. Wash and dry thoroughly and place in large bowl.
2. Smash and mince garlic using a pinch of salt as an abrasive to help break it down. Move to jar or plastic food container that has a lid. Add oil, cheese, lemon juice and black pepper. Shake vigorously to emulsify dressing.
3. Toss dressing with kale. Top with breadcrumbs and additional cheese, if desired.