Here’s a way to “cook” a dark leafy green without ever turning a burner on. Just give a bunch of kale a deep tissue massage with a little sea salt.
Instructions
Massaging kale: Start by de-stemming the leaves. Pull them away from the stems with a quick motion. Stack the leaves, roll up and cut into thin ribbons. Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a scant teaspoon of sea salt. Then begin the massage using your hands. The LA Times says, “Give a deep tissue bone breaker amount of pressure.” While this seems a bit extreme to me, the goal is to break down the tough cellulose structure of the leaves. The whole process should take about 2 minutes. The ribbons will darken in color and their texture will become soft and silky.
Now that your kale is relaxed, try our favorite recipe for massaged kale.
Massaged Kale Salad
- 1 bunch of kale massaged with about 1 teaspoon sea salt
Optional Ingredients:
- ½ cup walnuts, or hazelnuts coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup red or yellow onion, diced fine
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- ½ cup sauteed mushrooms
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese or fresh goat chèvre
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice
Assembly:
- Place massaged kale in a good-sized serving bowl.
- Stir your choice of optional ingredients into the kale.
- Whisk the oil and vinegar together and pour over the salad. Toss into the salad.
- Taste a piece of kale to check the balance of flavors, adding vinegar or salt if needed.
Try another variation of a massaged kale salad in an earlier recipe here – “massaged-kale-salad”