Recipe: Braised and Raw Black Kale Salad

from Restaurant Ubuntu, Napa, California

 

Chef Aaron London "definitely had gluten-free diners in mind" when he came up with this recipe. "I wanted to make sure it had a variety of textures-fluffy, crunchy, and unctuous. Often when food is missing gluten, it lacks different texture profiles," he explains.
  • ½ cup pine nuts, divided
  • ½ cup olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 ½ lb. black kale, stems trimmed, divided (16 cups)
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup dry sherry
  • 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 6 Tbs. lemon juice, divided
  • 6 tsp. grated lemon zest, divided
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Spread pine nuts on baking sheet. Toast in oven 10 minutes, or until light brown. Set aside.

2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Add 12 cups kale, and stir until coated with oil. Stir in 1/2 cup water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 1 hour, or until kale is soft.

3. Bring raisins and sherry to a boil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until raisins are plumped. Transfer to bowl, and stir in vinegar, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, 2 tsp. lemon zest, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and pine nuts.

4. Slice remaining 4 cups kale into thin ribbons, and toss with remaining 4 Tbs. lemon juice and 4 tsp. lemon zest in medium bowl.

5. Run knife through cooked kale to slice into bite-size pieces. Transfer to platter, and drizzle with half of pine nut mixture. Top with raw kale ribbons, drizzle with remaining pine nut mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan, if using.

 

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