Kale Salad with Squash Croutons
Equipment
- Blender for Parmesan dressing
Ingredients
Squash Croutons:
- 1 large delicata squash
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic grated
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Pickled Red Onion:
- ½ cup red onion sliced very thinly
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Salad:
- 5 ounces baby kale
- ⅓ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 batch Parmesan Dressing 2 cups, you may have some left over
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the Croutons: Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Cut the delicata squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and slice the squash in ¼ inch slices. Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the squash with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. In a bowl, combine ½ cup each of blanched almond flour and Parmigiano-Reggiano, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 grated clove of garlic and sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Evenly sprinkle the mixture on top of the squash. Press it down to help it stick.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the squash is tender and the crust is golden brown and toasty. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Make the Pickled Onions: Mix the ½ cup sliced red onions, ¼ cup sherry vinegar and ½ teaspoon of salt together in a bowl. Onions are pickled once they wilt and turn pink. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Make the Salad: Wash and dry 5 ounces of baby kale. When ready to serve, toss the kale with the pickled onions, the desired amount of Parmesan dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts and the delicata squash croutons.
Notes
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Use authentic Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano for this recipe. Its extended aging process reduces moisture and changes the structure of its proteins, helping finely grated cheese incorporate smoothly into the yogurt dressing. I’ve tested less expensive domestic Parmesan, but it tends to clump instead of blend evenly. This is one ingredient that’s honestly worth splurging on.