Baby Kale Salad and Fresh Lemon Dressing | reluctantentertainer ...

The last time we dined with our friends, we ate at their house and they cooked us a beautiful meal. Since it’s hard for them to get away (they have an autistic child), this time when we made plans to get together and I said, I’ll bring dinner!

Whatever the situation, I think it’s really fun when someone wants to come to your house and bring dinner, and then eat with you, too.

I call it “taking your hospitality with you.” It really doesn’t matter where we eat, or what we eat, it’s who we eat with that makes a difference.

I brought salmon to broil in the oven, fresh baked bread, and a baby kale salad – in a basket.

We sat out by their outside fire for about an hour (yummy appetizers) before heading in for dinner. Just before eating, I told my friend, Karen, that I needed to toss the salad.

The secret that I’ve found in serving baby kale is that it’s delicious if you allow the dressing to soak into the leaves for at least 30 minutes before serving. Most salads you’d never do that (the leaves would get soggy), but with kale, it’s slightly different.

Baby kale is unique; the flavor, texture, even the smell. I love it!

Here are the salad ingredients (below), which, by the way, always taste the salad dressing before tossing a salad. It might need more sugar, salt, etc.

Tell me about the last time you took a meal to a friend … did you stay and eat with them? What was the meal and what was the circumstance?

Summary: Tender baby kale greens are best served after dressing has soaked in for 20-30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch baby kale
• Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Sliced cucumbers
• Sliced red cabbage
• Red onion
• Diced red pepper
• Toasted Walnuts
• Dried cherries

Dressing

• 1 lemon, juiced
• Lemon zest (1-2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Kosher salt
• 4-6 teaspoons honey (to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a large serving bowl, add the toppings to the kale.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together with lots of freshly ground black pepper. Make sure you like how it tastes.
3. Thirty minutes before serving, add the dressing to the salad. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Set aside for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

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