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Tuscan Kale Salad with Truffle Honey, Pecorino, and Pine Nuts|Weston Table

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Tuscan Kale Salad with Truffle Honey, Pecorino, and Pine Nuts

This kale ribbon salad holds up beautifully in the summer heat but remains a favorite in the colder months when served alongside a butternut squash risotto or a hearty winter short rib stew with polenta. One of the few dressed green salads that are just as wonderful the next day, Tuscan kale is a deep blue-green, tender brassica suited to eating raw. Pair with toasted pignoli, strong, tangy Ewe's milk Pecorino Romano, earthy tasting black truffle honey and finish with a squeeze of lemon to activate the salivary glands--visions of silvery olive groves, medieval villages perched on hilltops, and fields of sunflowers may momentarily transport you to the sun-kissed rolling hills of Tuscany regardless of the season.

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cuisine Italian
difficulty Simple
season Year Round
serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch flat leaf kale such as Tuscan, dinosaur or lacinato
    1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 ounces pecorino romano
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons truffle honey
  • Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Remove the tough rib from the kale leaves. Fold big leaf in half and then roll like a cigar. Chiffonade the leaves in 1/8 inch pieces. The kale should look like thin ribbons.
  2. In a dry small pan, toast the pine nuts over low heat until golden brown. Allow the nuts to cool to room temperature.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and truffle honey together. Pour dressing over the kale ribbons, toss to combine, and let macerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours before serving.
  4. Just before serving, use a vegetable peeler to shave pecorino over salad. Add the reserved pine nuts and toss the salad.
  5. Sprinkle salad with sea salt flakes and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper.

Kitchen Notes

While not exactly the same, wildflower honey may be substituted for the truffle honey, and mild, nutty cow's milk Parmesan Reggiano for the strong, tangy Ewe's milk Pecorino Romano. The overall taste will still be terrific, just a wee bit more subtle.  Tuscan kale is also known as Lacinato, dinosaur, and cavolo nero kale. This salad may be refrigerated and eaten for up to three days.
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