kale and mushrooms! yay! ::::
It’s been a long while since I’ve posted. So many reasons why I haven’t, too complicated to describe here. Grief. Work. Love. Life. Time. Waiting for more people to get CoVID vaccinations so we can get back to interacting more normally. Everyone is so damn tired.
I’m back with a kale salad. Though I gravitate to my easy kale salad usually, if I have fancy mushrooms and find some lavender-scented goat cheese, this is my go to. It’s hearty and fibery with the kale and mushroom mix, with just enough bitter and chew mixed with the vinegary dressing and creamy cheese to feel like a complete meal. I first made it one blissful weekend when I was alone in the house, listening to loud music, watching bad movies, and eating crackers in bed. I had so much leftover dressing that I made another large salad for another meal. This is a great salad to pre-prepare all the components for. Assembly is quick and immediately satisfying if you’re a kale and mushroom fan.
Here’s to hoping for a summer of more engagement here! My next post will likely be Sky-Girl’s birthday…
One year ago: when we visited peru: lake titicaca and the uros floating islands
Two years ago: persian love cake #2
Three years ago: affogato recipe
Four years ago: true north in reconfiguration
Five years ago: pandan macarons with coconut cream filling
Six years ago: coconut peanut sunflower seed chocolate ice cream
Seven years ago: black sesame pudding and sweet potato black bean burritos
Eight years ago: cong you ban mian (taiwanese noodles with fried scallions) and vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots (do chua)
Nine years ago: feta-walnut dip and smoky popcorn
Ten years ago: buckwheat salad with mushrooms, fennel, and parsley oil and quick pickled cucumbers
- ½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound (450g) wild mushrooms, trimmed of woody stems and sliced. I like a mix of shiitake and oyster.
- 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup (60ml) dry sherry
- 4 cups (5 ounces; 140g) baby kale (or use large kale, cut up and discard the rib and finely shred the leaves)
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) honey
- 3 ounces (85g) fresh goat cheese, crumbled (optional per the original recipe - I LOVE using a herbes de provence goat cheese)
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.
- Add mushrooms and cook until browned and liquid is released, about 10 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium and cook butter and shallots. Cook until butter is melted and shallots turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add sherry and cook to evaporate most of it. Remove from heat to cool slightly. In a jar with tightly fitting lid, shake the rest of the olive oil with the vinegar, mustard, and honey. Season with salt and pepper.
- In large bowl, toss the kale with enough dressing to lightly coat. Add the warm mushrooms and toss. Add a little more dressing, if needed. Add crumbles of goat cheese.
- I use the leftover dressing to make another salad (there is plenty of goat cheese also leftover to do this at least once).
