Kale Caesar Salad

The idea of a kale Caesar salad is a natural extension of the marinated kale salad. Caesar dressing, which naturally pairs with slightly bitter, very crunchy lettuces, seems like a perfect partner in crime. And it is. A typical Caesar salad comes with large, crunchy croutons. In this version, rather than large chunks, I break up the bread into very small pieces using a food processor. Once tossed with a bit of olive oil and baked until crisp, the croutons become ultra crunchy because of their increased surface area. When you toss them with the salad, they adhere to the greens. Every bite you take includes these little bites of sweet, toasty, olive oil-coated crunch. And the greatest part of the recipe? Store the dressed kale in the fridge and the croutons in a sealed container on the countertop (they get soggy if you store them with the salad). The dressed kale will stay crisp for at least three days, meaning whenever you want a perfectly dressed, crisp and crunchy salad, it's as easy as opening the container, sprinkling on the croutons, and serving. It's dangerously simple, but overindulging in kale has never been a great fear of mine.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350F. Massage the kale with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl, making sure to coat all surfaces and kneading to help break down the tougher pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the croutons and dressing.

Step 2

Combine the bread pieces with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until broken down into pea-sized pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pulse once or twice to combine. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the croutons are pale golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Step 3

Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl. Add the mayonnaise, anchovies, garlic, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary.

Step 4

Add the onions, dressing, and half of the croutons to the bowl of wilted kale. Toss with your hands until thoroughly coated. Serve sprinkled with the remaining croutons.