Spring means the salad season is in motion, actually I love to eat salads all year round and this kale and walnut salad is one of these strong-tasting salads that would work just as well in winter as it does in spring or summer. So get that superfood into you and enjoy some kale.
The history bit…..
Kale yards were once a must-have in Scotland. The term meaning the patch of ground that every cottage/croft would have for the growing of kale. This veggie was for feeding the cattle not the people themselves. In Scotland kale is synonymous with cattle feed so the whole superfood thing took a bit of getting used to above the border.
What’s in it?
I love kale in many forms, from kale crisps to soup and steamed as a side vegetable, but this simple kale and walnut salad really hits the spot. It is packed with flavour and those walnuts add some texture and crunch too. Toasting the walnuts first ensures their very best flavour, it brings out the nuttiness, so don’t miss out on this step, it only takes a minute.
I’ve used one anchovy fillet from one of those little jars of anchovies in oil. For those of you who hate the mere thought of these little jars of pungent fish, calm down, you don’t taste the fishiness, you use them as part of the seasoning, they really do help to bring out flavours in everything from bolognaise sauce to soups and stews.
The other ingredients for this kale and walnut salad are Dijon mustard, half a garlic clove, the zest and juice of 1/4 of a lemon and some olive oil and cracked black pepper.
Note there is no salt involved, the saltiness comes from the anchovy fillet.
While this kale and walnut salad is super quick to prepare I like to set it aside with the dressing mixed in for 30 minutes just to soften the kale and to let it absorb all those marvelous flavours.
This salad is for one person as a light lunch or two as a side salad. If you want more just double it up etc. By the way it’s great with a simple poached egg for lunch, yum!
Enjoy!
K x
KALE AND WALNUT SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- 2 large handfuls of kale
- 1 anchovy fillet from a jar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- juice and zest of 1/4 lemon
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 clove garlic crushed
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for approximately 1 minute till golden and emitting their nutty aroma then remove from pan to stop cooking
- Mix the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, anchovy, pepper, garlic and mustard in a small jar
- Remove any thick stalks from the kale and chop roughly and set in a bowl
- Pour over the dressing and toss well, set aside 30 minutes to absorb flavours and soften a little
- Scatter with the toasted nuts
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