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Kale Caesar Salad

Michele Genest
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Ingredients
  

Kale Salad

  • 1 lb kale stems removed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups croutons recipe follows
  • 3 thick slices bacon
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup Caesar dressing recipe follows
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Croutons

  • Six brioche hot dog buns preferably day-old
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp dried herbs—oregano thyme, or rosemary, or a combination of all three! Croutons

Ceaser Dressing

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 anchovies packed in oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp dried tarragon or 2 Tbsp fresh
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

Kale Ceaser Salad

  • Cut slices of bacon into thin chunks and cook in a cast iron pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and let cool to room temperature.
  • Tear kale leaves into salad-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour olive oil over top and toss with clean hands to coat the leaves. Massage leaves gently to soften them—this step is especially important with curly kale.
  • Add bacon and croutons to the bowl and toss again. Pour 1/2 cup of dressing over top and toss gently. Ideally, some croutons will stay crispy, some will absorb more dressing and become softer.
  • Add Parmesan cheese and toss again, distributing cheese throughout the salad. Taste a crouton and a leaf—enough dressing? Enough cheese? If not, add more and tos again. Serve at once.

Croutons

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Slice hot dog buns in half and cut each half into cubes. If buns are fresh, toast cubes for 5 to 7 minutes before coating with oil and herbs. If buns are slightly stale, place cubes in a large bowl without toasting.
  • Pour olive oil over top and toss to coat cubes evenly. Sprinkle in salt and herbs and toss again. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and crunchy. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature before using.
  • Store extra croutons in a resealable bag in the breadbox and use within a week. Alternatively, freeze croutons for up to three months.

Ceaser Dressing

  • Place anchovies, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor and process to a paste.
  • Add Dijon mustard and vinegar and pulse a few times until combined.
  • With the machine running, pour olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until all the olive oil is used up and the dressing is thick and creamy.
  • Taste the dressing and add salt as necessary. Serve at room temperature. Store leftover dressing in the fridge and use in 7 to 10 days. Shake thoroughly whe

Notes

A wise cook once told me that brioche hot dog buns make the best croutons. He was right—they’re both crispy and melt-in-the mouth. Nobody will break a tooth.