As George said so eloquently in the field this past week, “Kale is the new salad.” And Lacinato kale–also known as Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale, and cavolo nero– is my favorite for a raw salad. It has a wonderful tender texture and a sweet brassica flavor.
The key to eating raw kaleis to dress it at least 15 minutes (and up to a few hours) before you actually want to eat it.
Remove stems from ¾ pound lacinato kale. Stack leaves on top of one another and cut into thin strips (julienne, if you will).
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (you can use tamari or soy sauce as a substitute, but I highly recommend investing in a bottle of this stuff. It’s available at any health store or even in the natural foods section of Giant these days), and ¼ cup nutritional yeast (also known as brewer’s yeast, available in a health food store near you).
In a large bowl, toss kale with dressing, “massaging” the leaves, encouraging some of the toughness to break down. Add whatever toppings your heart desires. My favorites include: chopped apples or pears, raisins or dried cranberries, goat cheese, and walnuts or almonds. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before devouring
