Kale Caesar
Eat as much as you like—this Caesar is a healthy one.
Posted by Chronicle Books
About
Serves 4 to 6
Ignacio Mattos, a talented chef friend, introduced us to the pleasure of eating whole leaves of dressed raw kale. Here, we use black kale, also called cavalo nero, lacinato, Tuscan kale, or dinosaur kale. The strong greens carry the bold dressing, making the perfect winter bread salad. Eat as much as you like—this Caesar is a healthy one.
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You Will Need (14 things)
- 3 slices day-old Bread , each 1 inch thick, torn into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- Croutons :
- ¾ cup grated or shaved aged Parmesan Cheese
- Croutons (recipe follows), made from 4 slices day-old Basic Country Bread
- 2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 lbs black Kale , center stems removed
- Salt
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 6 olive oil–packed Anchovy fillets
- 2 Lemon
- Caesar Dressing :
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt
- ½ tsp Herbs De Provence
Steps (3 steps, 20 minutes)
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1
To make the dressing, grate the zest from 1 lemon. Cut both lemons in half. Place the garlic, anchovies, and lemon zest in a mortar and pound with a pestle to make a thick paste. Add the egg yolk, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice and stir thoroughly to combine. Continuing to stir, pour in 1/2 cup of the oil drop by drop. The mixture should look smooth and creamy, a sign that you are building a stable emulsion. Continuing to stir, begin adding the oil in a slow stream. The dressing should thicken. Periodically stop pouring in the oil and add a squeeze of lemon. Taste the dressing and add more salt and lemon juice to taste. Add water, a small spoonful at a time, stirring to thin dressing to the consistency of heavy cream.
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2
In a large bowl, combine the kale and croutons. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan, toss again, and serve.
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3
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, toss the torn bread with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. If you are using the herbs, add them too. Spread the bread evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Midway through the baking time, redistribute the croutons if they are coloring unevenly.