Kale Salad

This kale salad combines sweet and savoury flavours with the use of in-season cherries and salty prosciutto. Serve it as a main meal or dish it up as a side. Either way it's delicious!

I was shopping at one of the “big chain” supermarkets, buying some necessary groceries when I spotted the curly kale. And to be honest, it was a pleasant surprise.

I’ve only ever found it at some farmers’ market halfway across town. And quite expensive too. However, that should not come as any surprise if you live in Sydney!

I adore its slight bitter taste and how well it seems to pair with other foods.

Perhaps it’s my imagination but I can “feel” the goodness in every bite.

Kale is often referred to as a “superfood”.

Just don’t do what I did the first time I cooked with it.

A few years ago I posted my cavolo nero recipe (another member of the kale family). I attempted to braise it but did not remove the centre rib or stalk. It took forever!

Now if I decide to cook it, I shred it finely and sautee it with a little olive oil, garlic and chilli. And it’s much quicker.

For today’s recipe, I’ve decided to leave the kale in it’s raw state.

This kale salad recipe is easy and it manages to cover most parts of the flavour spectrum.

It’s bitter, sweet, salty and tart. How’s that for a combination?

There’s a little bitterness from the kale itself. A little sweetness from the petimezi (grape molasses). The saltiness is brought to you by some prosciutto and the tartness comes from the cherries.

And to quote a high end technology company, “it just works”!

By the time this post goes out I will have finished my second batch of this kale salad.

I hope you’re not one of these people who shun the idea of “fruit in savoury dishes”.

I used to be like that.

The cherries are not only tart but provide a softness to the crunch of the prosciutto and the pecans.

As usual you can substitute any of the ingredients to achieve a similar flavour profile.

I think watercress would be great instead of kale. Or how about some walnuts intead of the pecans? If bacon is your religion then use that. Can’t get some of that Greek petimezi? Then pomegranate molases or maple syrup are perfect substitutes.

There are no set rules.

Whatever you do, just make it.