Several months ago, I had a grilled kale salad at a special event, and I’ve been dying to recreate it ever since.
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Organic lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur or black kale, is the star ingredient of this healthy, summer salad. When cooked over hot coals, this leafy superfood transforms into something truly delicious. Crispy edges provide savory notes of smoke and char while the inner portion of the kale leaf stays tender and chewy. These grilled greens are tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing spiked with lemon, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Torn croutons add pops of satisfying crunch. This salad is a delicious mix of flavors and textures. Continue reading for the recipe.
Would you just look at that beautiful loaf? This Bread & Cie Country Levain has a crisp, golden crust that surrounds a light, airy interior. When torn to pieces, drizzled in olive oil, and baked until crunchy, this bread makes perfect croutons. Be sure to tear the bread rather than cut it into cubes. The uneven pieces will develop varying textures when baked. Some bits will get wonderfully caramelized while others retain some chew.
Caesar dressing is very simple to make. Especially with an immersion blender! A raw egg yolk is a must, and anchovy paste is highly encouraged. I’ll have to admit that I’m still on the fence with anchovies. Sometimes I like them, and sometimes I don’t. I’ve really grown to like the anchovy element in Caesar dressing though. Even the smallest amount will add intriguing depth of flavor. In this dressing, I use 1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste. You could certainly add more if you are an anchovy fan. You can also use whole anchovies that have been chopped up (1 or 2). I just like the convenience of anchovy paste.
I purchased all of the ingredients needed for this salad at the new Jimbo’s… Naturally! now open at Westfield Horton Plaza. The Caesar dressing can be prepared a day in advance, and stored in the fridge. Torn croutons can be made earlier in the day, and stored at room temperature. I’d recommend cooking the kale leaves beside a main course. Don’t fire up the grill just for a salad! This Grilled Kale Caesar would pair perfectly with a tri-tip roast, brined pork chops or a juicy cheeseburger.
Grilled Kale Caesar with Torn Croutons
Ingredients
For the croutons:
- 1/2 loaf of country bread
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 2 bunches organic lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur or black kale
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon organic red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon organic lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste or 2 chopped anchovies
- 2 cloves organic garlic, chopped
- 1 organic egg yolk
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350°F. Tear bread into 1-inch pieces into a medium bowl. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the bread, and season with a big pinch of kosher salt and several turns of black pepper, tossing to coat. The bread pieces should be well-coated with olive oil. Bake until croutons are golden and crisp (15 – 20 minutes total), turning a few times while they cook. Let croutons cool before using.
- Prepare an outdoor grill (charcoal or gas) to high heat. Let the grill grate preheat for 15 minutes, and clean and oil it just before cooking. Drizzle kale with olive oil, and using your hands, rub the oil all over the leaves. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook kale in batches on the grill over high heat , turning once, until crispy and charred at the edges (about 2 minutes total). Once cool enough to handle, cut the thick center stems from the cooked kale leaves, and chop remaining leaves. Discard stems.
- To prepare the dressing, place vinegar, lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, and egg yolk in a wide mouth jar. Add a pinch of kosher salt and several turns of black pepper, then, using an immersion blender, blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies (thickens). If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or food processor. Stir in grated Parmesan, and season to taste with additional kosher salt and black pepper.
- To serve, divide chopped kale between 4 salad plates, top with torn croutons and a drizzle of Caesar dressing. Finish with a final sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
I partnered with Jimbo’s… Naturally! and Westfield Horton Plaza on this article. Also, at the time this articles was written I was an employee of Westfield. All thoughts, opinions and recipes shared in this article are my own.
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I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Angel Reyes says
Looks awesome, man. I’m really intrigued by the grilling process. Do you put the kale directly on the grill then? They won’t burn, right?
Brandon Matzek says
Yeah the kale goes directly on the grill. The batches will cook quickly (about 1 minute per side). The edges will get crisp (like kale chips), and the part close to the stem will stay tender with a little chew. Thanks!
Berni says
Hope you go see the movie “THE Chef” GREAT laughs!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
i could see this happening in my kitchen very soon.
Kirbie says
ooh, I’ve never had grilled kale but your description sounds amazing! Must try this out.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kirbie! Yeah, I was unfamiliar until I had it at an event. Was pleasantly surprised with the taste!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Love that this is grilled and made with kale, rather than the typical romaine! I’d love to feast on this! pinned
Brandon Matzek says
Mmmm, grilled romaine is good too. Thanks Averie!
Millie l Add A Little says
Love the sound of this Brandon! Grilled kale sounds delicious!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Brandon Matzek says
Thank you Millie!
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
This is going on my list to make next week. LOVE.
Brandon Matzek says
Let me know if you try it! Thanks Maryea.
Stephanie Weaver, The Recipe Renovator says
Love your photos and step-by-step descriptions. Will try this once my diet becomes a little less restrictive. Yum!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Stephanie!
Maggie Unzueta @ Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
Love the lighting in your pictures. Makes everything look so yummy. I might have a salad for lunch now. 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Maggie :)!
laurasmess says
Grilled kale is definitely an awesome experience. It lifts the veg to a completely different level. I’ve never actually tried the dinosaur/lacinato kale though, it looks more tender than the curly variety that we often get in the shops here (in Australia, or at least near me in Perth!). I’ll have to track some down. Great version of Caesar!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Laura! Glad to see another grilled kale fan chime in 😉 Dino kale can be a bit more tender, and I find it easier to work with.
Arthur in the Garden! says
Yummy!
Kailani | The Knew New says
So happy I just found your blog. Love the variety of recipes and beautiful photography. Definitely inspiring.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kailani, and welcome to the Kitchen Konfidence family!
Katie says
This is one of the best kale recipes I have ever tried! I made it for lunch this weekend and we loved it. I’m a big fan of grilled greens, and the kale stands up well to the heat so the resulting texture was delicious. The dressing is also spot on – I will definitely be making more salads with that dressing!
Brandon Matzek says
Hey Katie! So glad this worked out for you as well. And YES the dressing works well with plenty of other greens
Chad Wilson says
This sounds perfect for a dinner I’m planning this weekend – only problem, I don’t have an outdoor grill. Is there an oven/stove solution that you’d recommend? Thanks!
Brandon Matzek says
You could try cooking the kale on an indoor grill pan!