The Kale Salad That Started It All

This is the raw kale salad that changed my life. I was the chef de cuisine at Franny’s in Brooklyn back in 2007. I was mad that I couldn’t find good salad greens in the middle of winter, and I especially hated (still hate) the “mesclun mix” that lines the shelves of supermarkets—no flavor, no texture. I created this kale salad in rebellion against those miserable greens, having no idea it would take the world by storm.

March 21, 2018

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 2 to 4 Serving(s)

1 bunch lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale or cavolo nero), thick ribs cut out
½ garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more to finish
Extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup dried breadcrumbs (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. Stack several kale leaves on top of one another and roll them up into a tight cylinder. With a sharp knife, slice crosswise into very thin ribbons, about 1/₁₆ inch wide (this is called a chiffonade). Put the kale in a salad spinner, rinse in cool water and spin until completely dry. Pile the kale into a bowl.

2. Put the chopped garlic on a cutting board and mince it even more until you have a paste (you can sort of smash and scrape the garlic with the side of the knife as well). Transfer the garlic to a small bowl, add ¼ cup pecorino, a healthy glug of olive oil, the lemon juice, chile flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt and plenty of twists of black pepper; whisk to combine.

3. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss well to thoroughly combine (you can use your clean hands for this, to be efficient). Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, chile flakes or black pepper. Let the salad sit for about 5 minutes so the kale softens slightly. Top with the breadcrumbs, shower with more cheese, and drizzle with more oil.