Kale is a dark leafy green that is loaded with nutrients, and comes into season in late summer, making this seasonal recipe a must try! It’s a great dish for a cloudy Autumn day. You can enjoy any extra packed up the next day for work, as the kale will stay crisp and fresh in the fridge for a few days.

 

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves 4
 
 

Ingredients:

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp high quality olive oil

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

150g sourdough bread (roughly 2 slices)

200g pancetta or bacon lardons (optional: omit to make it vegetarian)

100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

100g whole leaf kale (do not buy shredded kale, you don’t want to eat the bitter stalk)

4 baby gem lettuce

100g quinoa, cooked and drained

50g cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

10 anchovies, chopped

40g parmesan cheese, grated

Optional: add some rotisserie or grilled chicken

For the dressing:

100g mayonnaise

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ lemon

20g parmesan cheese, grated

8 anchovies, finely chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Make the croutons. Add the garlic, olive oil and parsley to a small bowl and mix well. Roughly tear the sourdough bread, and dip into the olive oil mixture, coating each piece well before laying on a baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
3. Cooked ingredients. In a large frying pan, cook the pancetta without oil. Once brown, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes or until they are soft.
4. Massage the kale. While this is cooking, prepare the leaves. To make kale leaves soft and silky for salads, they need a quick massage! Remove the tough centre stems from the bunch of kale, then rip the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Put the leaves in a large bowl, drizzle in a little olive oil then massage the kale with your hands for just a few minutes. (The kale will become tender, darker in colour, and taste much better!). Roughly chop the gem lettuces. Transfer lettuce and kale to a large salad bowl.
5. Prepare the dressing. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. If the dressing is too thick, you can add 1tbsp of water, or more lemon juice to taste.
6. Combine the salad. Stir the cooked quinoa into the leaves, with the tomatoes, pancetta and mushrooms. Add the dressing and mix well. Top with the grated parmesan and chopped anchovies.

More salad recipes:

Superfood Salad
Tuna, kale & sweet potato combine with a creamy tahini dressing for a versatile superfood salad

Orzo Spring Salad
Prep ahead for a great BBQ accompaniment, picnic or packed lunch

Asparagus, Pea & Feta Salad
Healthy, fresh & super easy to make, this salad is good for a quick mid-week meal