There are a million kale salad recipes out there, and no doubt you’ve already got a few favorites. I like this one with its Middle Eastern touch of sumac. You can buy sumac at Sevananda or any store that carries Middle Eastern groceries. It has a nice tartness and pretty red color. Substitute another spice, like Spanish paprika, or herb, like thyme, if you don’t have any on hand and don’t want to find it. But the nice thing about buying spices and herbs at places like Sevananda is that you can literally buy just a teaspoon and try it out – no huge investment in a jar that will sit in your pantry for years.
This method of tempering onions is a great one to have in your repertoire. Cuts the bite but leaves you the crunch and the flavor.
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, tough inner stems discarded, leaves roughly torn (about 1 pound) 2 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon dried ground sumac berries 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane grater 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Combine kale leaves with olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Toss until evenly coated. Allow to rest at room temperature until kale is lightly wilted, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Rinse in several changes of water then carefully dry with a salad spinner lined with paper towels. Combine onions with sumac and sesame seeds. Season to taste with salt.
Combine lemon juice, garlic, and mustard in a small bowl. Once kale is wilted, toss kale, lemon juice mixture, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve salad topped with sumac onions.