Giadas Kale Caesar Salad Food

SWEET-AND-SAVORY KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the pomegranate molasses, vinegar and mustard. Pouring in a steady stream, whisk in the olive oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. (The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
• For the salad: Scatter the sweet potatoes and pearl onions on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Roast until the potatoes are tender throughout and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes, tossing halfway through. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.
• Add the apples, baby kale and the dressing to the bowl, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using two wooden spoons, toss gently to combine and coat evenly in the dressing.
• Sprinkle the salad with the pomegranate seeds before serving.

GIADA'S KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, mustard, anchovy paste, pepper, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Set aside to let the flavors marry.
• For the salad: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat another 30 seconds, then add the bread cubes. Cook, tossing often, until the bread cubes are beginning to brown and get crispy, about 6 minutes. Season with the salt and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and cook until the cubes are evenly golden and crispy, another 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
• Add the baby kale to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently to coat. Add the toasted bread and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan to the salad and toss once again.

KALE AND CHICKPEA SALAD

Steps:

• For the onions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring the vinegar, sugar and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat to dissolve the sugar. Place the onions in a small bowl and pour the hot mixture over them. Toss well to coat. Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hour before using.
• For the chickpeas: Meanwhile, toss the chickpeas with the olive oil, lemon zest, zaatar and salt. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Drain well on paper towels.
• For the salad: Place the Tuscan kale in a large bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and massage the salt into the kale. Add the olive oil, vinegar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 cup of the onions without their liquid, all of the chickpeas, feta and zaatar. Toss to combine and serve.

KALE AND HUMMUS SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook just until fragrant, 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini and lemon juice. Gradually whisk in the garlic oil. Add the kale, salt and chickpeas and gently toss together, bringing the dressing up from the bottom to coat everything evenly. Add the chicken and cranberries, and toss. Sprinkle with za'atar if desired. Serve.

FARRO AND KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Put the walnuts in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a small baking sheet.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the shallot and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the shallots have softened and are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the farro and toast in the olive oil, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in 2 cups water, the oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the oregano sprigs, drain the farro, and set aside.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the warm farro and toss to coat. Add the kale, cherries, cucumber and walnuts and toss to combine. Crumble in the goat cheese, toss gently just to mix and serve.

KALE-ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Make the croutons: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the soft bread out of the center of the loaf, leaving the crust behind, and tear the soft bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 3 cups. Spread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden and crisp. Let cool.
• Prepare the kale: One large leaf at a time, use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut along the sides of the tough center ribs. (Or, use your fingers to pull the leaves off the rib.) Pull out the rib and discard. When all leaves are trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces. (Do not shred.)
• Prepare the romaine: Cut large leaves crosswise into bite-size pieces. Leave inner leaves whole.
• Fill a sink or salad spinner with very cold water and submerge the leaves. Swish and let soak 5 to 10 minutes. Working in batches, lift out and drain on a kitchen towel, then dry in a salad spinner.
• Place a plastic bag filled with ice in the bottom of a salad bowl. Pile the washed leaves on top, cover with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• In a blender (or using a hand blender), combine the garlic, anchovies, mustard, a large pinch of salt, about a dozen grinds of black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
• Cook the egg: Poach in simmering water or in a microwave, until yolk is thickened but still runny. (To poach in a microwave, break egg into a glass bowl or measuring cup. Gently pour in warm water to cover the egg by about 1/2 inch. In bursts of 30 seconds or less, depending on microwave power, cook egg until white is just firm and yolk is thickened. Hold a slotted spoon over the sink and pour the egg and water into it, so the cooked egg is held in the spoon while the cooking water and any uncooked whites drain off.) Put the egg in the dressing and blend.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings with mustard, oil, lemon, salt and pepper. It should be pungent and sharp but not acidic. Blend again, transfer to a container with a tightfitting lid, and chill until ready to use.
• When ready to serve (or up to 2 hours beforehand), remove towel and ice from the bowl and fluff the greens. (If necessary, transfer to a larger bowl; you will need plenty of room for tossing.) Shake the dressing. To the greens, add half the croutons, half the dressing and half the cheese and toss well. Taste and toss with remaining dressing as needed. (If necessary, transfer the tossed salad back to the salad bowl.) Add remaining croutons. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top and grind coarse pepper over that. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 2 hours). Toss once more at the table.

GRILLED KALE SALAD WITH ROASTED SUNGOLDS

Steps:

• Whisk together the Parmesan, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat a grill or grill pan to high.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/3 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Transfer to the oven and roast until golden brown and wrinkled, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, place the curly kale leaves directly on the hot grill. Grill for about 1 minute per side, until wilted and charred. Remove to a cutting board, chop into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl with the dressing. Add the raw Tuscan kale, avocado, almonds and tomatoes to the bowl; toss to coat.

ITALIAN CAESAR SALAD WITH POLENTA CROUTONS

Steps:

• To make the dressing: Finely chop the garlic and anchovies in a food processor. Blend in the lemon juice and mustard. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the dressing, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• To make the croutons: Spread the olive oil over a small baking sheet. Transfer the hot polenta to the baking sheet, spreading evenly to form an 8 by 5 by 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.
• Cut the polenta into 3/4-inch cubes. Pat the polenta cubes dry with paper towels. Add enough vegetable oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over high heat. Working in batches of 10, carefully add the polenta cubes to the oil 1 at a time and fry until golden brown, stirring to keep the cubes separate, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the polenta croutons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
• (The dressing and polenta croutons can be prepared 1 day ahead up to this point. Cover the dressing and polenta croutons separately and refrigerate. Rewarm the polenta croutons on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees F oven before serving.)
• To make the salad: Prepare the barbecue for high heat. Grill the lettuce until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Cut the lettuce into bite-size pieces.
• On a serving platter, mound the grilled chopped lettuce. Decoratively scatter the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Drizzle with enough dressing to evenly coat. Sprinkle Parmesan and scatter the warm polenta croutons over and serve immediately.
• Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
• Lightly oil a half sheet pan. Transfer the hot polenta to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.