Kale Salad with Lemon-Anchovy Vinaigrette and Pecorino Curls
When I don’t know what to do with myself, I make a really simple kale salad with some cheese and a ballsy vinaigrette like this one.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/2 tablespoon(s) water
- 1/2 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon(s) champagne vinegar
- 9 anchovy fillets
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) black pepper
- 3/4 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
For the salad:
- 1 bunch(es) kale, stemmed, washed & chopped
- 4 ounces pecorino Toscano, shaved into curls
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Combine everything but the oil and shallot in a blender and whirl together. Add the olive oil in a slow and steady stream to emulsify.
- Add the shallot and briefly pulse to mince and incorporate—don’t overblend or it will become sulfurous.
For the salad:
- Toss the kale with the vinaigrette to taste, then toss with half of the cheese curls. Tumble the remaining cheese curls on top, for aesthetic pleasure.
Notes
You can vary the cheese and add goodies as needed (think: ricotta salata with shaved red onions, dollops of burrata with toasted breadcrumbs, manchego and olives—or whatever strikes your fancy). The bold, briny puckery-ness of this intense vinaigrette stands up well to the formidably cruciferous kale. I prefer a mix of Tuscan (aka dinosaur) kale, which is an heirloom variety and the most nutrient-dense, and curly green kale because it has more loft and holds dressing better.
Photography by Melanie Grizzel