Massaged Kale Salad

Do you need a massage? I (probably) do. I used to like getting them, until an overzealous physical therapist once sat on me. With his knees.

I'm forever scarred.

So I'll do the massaging from this point forward, starting with this salad. I find that pairing sweet fruit offsets the bitterness of the kale, and makes it a little more palatable for the uninitiated. Massaging the kale helps break down some of those super-stiff fibers making it both easier to chew and digest. If you can't find lacinato kale, you could easily substitute curly green, but it doesn't chiffonade (slice into pretty strips) as easily. Depends on how important presentation is to you.

As an FYI - I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever about neglecting to mention that this salad is made with kale. At a recent gettogether, a friend's husband recently went on a long-winded diatribe about how much he hates kale. His wife reminded him that not only had he enjoyed this kale salad at our home, he'd asked for seconds. His response? "That was kale?"

Massaged Kale Salad

1 bunch of lacinato kale

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pint raspberries

1/2 pint blackberries

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Wash and dry lacinato kale. Remove leaves from the stem - I like to hold onto the base of the stem with my left hand and rip the leaf off in one motion with my right. Pile up the leaves, roll them up and slice into 1/4" - 1/2" slices. Put aside.

In a small bowl (or your serving bowl), whisk together lemon juice and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the greens to your bowl and using your hands, toss to coat. Then begin to massage the greens, gently rolling them between your fingers. Do this for 2-3 minutes, then top with berries and feta, if using. 

Make-ahead notes: The dressing can be made 2 days ahead of time, and the salad assembled1-2 hours prior to serving.