Addictive Raw Kale Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan Cheese
This recipe is inspired by the salad at one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco, Darwin Cafe. Darwin Cafe sat equidistant between my apartment and my office while I lived in S.F., and I found myself there at least once a week as a result. This is a salad for anyone who believes they dislike kale or salads. It is filling enough to be a main course with bread, and sturdy enough to take pre-dressed to a picnic or to the office for lunch. The recipe can easily become vegetarian or even vegan if you swap the prosciutto and parmesan for salty dried black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and cooked white beans or garbanzo beans for protein. This recipe can also be doubled, tripled, etc. to feed larger crowds.
This recipe is inspired by the salad at one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco, Darwin Cafe. Darwin Cafe sat equidistant between my apartment and my office while I lived in S.F., and I found myself there at least once a week as a result. This is a salad for anyone who believes they dislike kale or salads. It is filling enough to be a main course with bread, and sturdy enough to take pre-dressed to a picnic or to the office for lunch. The recipe can easily become vegetarian or even vegan if you swap the prosciutto and parmesan for salty dried black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and cooked white beans or garbanzo beans for protein. This recipe can also be doubled, tripled, etc. to feed larger crowds.
- Carbohydrate 11.4357914158 g
- Cholesterol 65.374770343 mg
- Fat 21.53758678845 g
- Fiber 2.80049988508224 g
- Protein 19.86052692255 g
- Saturated Fat 9.47735887186 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (134g)
- Sodium 1162.488437709 mg
- Sugar 8.63529153071776 g
- Trans Fat 1.3115021237 g
- Calories 302 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the sliced prosciutto stirring occasionally to break up the pieces until extra crispy about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the prosciutto to a paper towel-lined dish to drain and remove the pan from heat. Add the garlic and olive oil immediately to the warm pan to infuse the oil with garlic.
- Sprinkle the kale with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of one lemon and massage the kale for 1-2 minutes until the fibers begin to break down.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the kale (garlic oil cheese prosciutto vinegar) including additional salt and black pepper to taste and serve with extra grated parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar.
Sequencing the Heat and Acid
Raw brassicas require physical intervention before dressing hits the bowl. Curly or lacinato kale contains tough cellular walls that resist penetration by oil and vinegar unless mechanically ruptured. Squeezing the leaves with lemon juice and salt for one to two minutes initiates this breakdown, rendering the greens tender without heat. While the greens soften, cooking the sliced prosciutto in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for five minutes renders out the fat. Removing the pan from the heat source before adding the garlic and extra virgin olive oil prevents the aromatics from burning and turning bitter. Residual warmth from the metal gently infuses the oil, creating a cohesive dressing base.
Texture and Adjustments
Sturdiness allows this dish to hold up without wilting quickly. Because the greens lack delicate water content found in butterhead varieties, dressed portions maintain structural integrity for up to twenty-four hours in refrigeration. Modifying the foundation remains straightforward for different dietary needs. Omitting the meat and cheese in favor of toasted pine nuts and cooked white beans alters the protein source while preserving the textural interplay of crunch and chew.
