Kale Cherry Pecan Salad with Goat Cheese is an easy-to-prepare summertime must
This summer is whizzing by at record speed. Perhaps it’s the great weather we’ve had that has allowed us to be outside so much enjoying all the fun and sun. I love the simplicity of summer dinners and all the grilling. With the abundance of all the summer produce and fewer dishes to do, I’m one happy camper.
This week’s recipe is for Kale Cherry Pecan Salad with Goat Cheese. Sometimes I just grab pretty produce at the store not knowing what I’ll make from it, and this recipe is one of those instances. The dino kale (also known as Lacinato) is darker, thinner and less bitter than traditional curly kale. It’s turned my darling husband into a kale eater, which at one point seemed about impossible. He used to say, “Kale is like cow’s food.”
I recently picked up a handy kale and herb stripper tool at Sur La Table. It separates the thick stem away from the tender leaves. I used to do it by hand with a knife. This is not a necessary tool, but it’s a fun, inexpensive one. I’m beyond grateful Sur La Table opened in Bradley Fair because without Williams Sonoma or Bed Bath & Beyond, I had been forced to shop online for kitchen gadgets. It’s so much more fun to shop for them in person.
This recipe just came to me, inspired by the beautiful kale. While it’s one of my favorite greens, it needs some sweetness added to balance the bitterness, and any salad always is better with some chopped nuts. This salad is so simple because you pretty much just throw the ingredients into a pretty bowl, and your salad is completed. If you top the salad with grilled chicken or a piece of salmon, your dinner is complete.
Let’s talk ingredients. I had a bottle of dark cherry balsamic vinegar in my cabinet that I’d purchased at one of those fun olive oil and balsamic stores in Kansas City. I replaced it with a bottle of De Nigris brand dark cherry sweet vinegar from Whole Foods. I picked up the dried cherries from Nifty Nuthouse because they are soft and delicious. Then Sweet and Spicy Pecans came from from Trader Joe’s and are irresistible on salads or as a quick snack, and they make a lovely addition to a charcuterie board.
Lately I’ve been using that newer brand Graza olive oil labeled “drizzle.” It’s sourced in Spain, and I enjoy its easy twist spout and delicious grassy flavor. The brand even makes refill cans so you can reuse the plastic container — a win for the environment.
I hope you try this salad because it’s on regular rotation at our house, even for the new kale convert.
Kale Cherry Pecan Salad with Goat Cheese
2 bunches of dino kale, destemmed and chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons dark cherry balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ cup dried red tart cherries
½ cup Trader Joe’s Sweet & Spicy Pecans, chopped
½ cup fresh goat cheese
1 teaspoon sea salt
Toss kale in a big bowl. Drizzle olive oil, cherry balsamic vinegar and maple syrup over the top of the kale. Sprinkle cherries, chopped pecans and crumble the goat cheese over the top of the kale evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt, taste and enjoy.
