creamy kale salad with fried bread crumbs

Winter is here which means all the heavy goodness of holiday food. I’m here for all of the melty cheese, red sauce, casserole, baked pasta, elastic-waistband-inducing moments that this season brings. I’m also here for something crunchy and bright to go along with. 

Enter, creamy kale salad with fried bread crumbs.  

Avocado and Dijon make for a creamy dressing that can stand up to the bitterness of the kale. It comes together in one bowl, as the ingredients get massaged into the greens. As toppings go, the bread crumbs are somewhat high maintenance because they require almost constant stirring. However, once you get the hang of them they’re well worth it and a great thing to have for topping salads, as well as pastas.

Kale Salad with Avocado Dressing and Spiced Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

 1 bunch kale

For dressing: 

1 avocado

1 clove garlic, grated

½ lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)

½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

Drizzle of olive oil (about a teaspoon)

Salt and pepper to taste

For breadcrumbs:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Salt to taste

Step 1:

For fried bread crumbs: Off the heat, add 1 cup panko to 1/2 cup olive oil to a medium sauté pan. Set over medium heat and stir constantly. The panko will absorb the oil and look like wet sand. This step takes patience. At first, it will seem like nothing is happening, but as you stir, you’ll notice the panko starts to take on a golden brown color. Once it has reached a light caramel color, remove from heat and transfer to plate or tray lined with paper towels. Spread bread crumbs evenly on tray to drain. Season with salt and allow them to cool. The bread crumbs should be crispy.

Step 2:

For the salad, remove the rib from the kale leaves. Chop the kale into thin ribbons and transfer to a bowl big enough to mix everything together. Add the avocado, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. With your hand, scrunch the kale and dressing together until thoroughly combined and the leaves are evenly coated.  

Step 3:

To plate, transfer the salad to a plate or bowl. This salad works best plated in a shallow bowl or plate that allows more surface area to be covered in the bread crumbs. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.