Salad With a Spin - Kale & Parsnip Panzanella

Photo: NK 

Fact: Salads really do run the gamut from smashing to snore-worthy.


Fact: Bread makes everything better. Especially Salads. 


Fact: Grilled Bread with fruity Olive Oil, sprinkled with Salt, Pepper, and Smokey Paprika makes things infinitely better. 


Myth: Kale is always tough and unappealing if you don't cook it. 

Ho-ly-smokes. Make our raw Kale & Parsnip Salad and dispel the myth that Kale Must be cooked to be amazing. 

Not so! With the right amount of loving care, some lemon juice (or vinegar-acid is the key to softening up Kale) and a little time + a tenderizing leaf massage, Kale can be served au natural, no heat required. Slice up those sturdy leaves nice and thin, though. Now - how to make our little Kale Ribbons sing? That's easy. We're serving them in a Panzanella (aka Tuscan Bread Salad - see our last Panzanella HERE) with shavings of sweet Parsnips and homemade grilled Croutons made from hearty Peasant Bread that's been jazzed up with Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika.

Let's get to it:

Kale and Parsnip Panzanella with Grilled Paprika Croutons 
Serves at least 4 

Parsnip Ribbons, Photo: NK 

Salad Ingredients:
1 Head of Lacinato (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur) Kale, washed and dried, ribs removed from leaves

1 Large Parsnip, peeled, then shaved into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler


3 Slices of Peasant Bread
Olive Oil (for brushing the Bread)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika
Optional Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese


For the Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil + extra for brushing the Bread
1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Light Agave or Honey

Kale Ribbons, Photo: NK

Method:
1.Pile Kale Leaves together and slice horizontally into very thin ribbons.

2. Add Kale Ribbons to a large Ziploc Bag.

3. Add Parsnip Ribbons.

Next,


4. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.



5. Pour Dressing into Ziploc Bag and seal. Shake the bag and squeeze between your fingers
to distribute the dressing and rub it all into the Kale.

6. Allow the bag to sit at room temperature for at least a half an hour, squeezing and shaking it occasionally.


7. Meanwhile, heat up a grill or grill pan over a very high flame. Lay Bread Slices on a surface and brush them one side with Olive Oil. Now sprinkle with Kosher Salt, Pepper, and an ample hit of Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika. (Don't skimp on the Salt, either).

Preparing the Grilled Bread, Photo: NK

8. Place Bread slices on the grill or grill pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side until grill marks appear. 

9. Flip Bread to the other side
and cook another 1 minute. 

10. Allow the Bread to cool and then slice into bite-sized chunks. 






To Serve:

Plate Kale and Parsnip Ribbons and lightly toss with Chunks of Bread. To finish, sprinkle with optional grated Parmigiana.

Kale & Parsnip Panzanella with Grilled Paprika Croutons, Photo: NK 

In Season: Grapefruit - Panzanella Salad with Red Grapefruit, Avocado & Fennel

Beautiful Ruby Red Grapefruit, Photo: NK

Citrus Fruits really hit their peak in the winter season, and Grapefruit is no exception. So when I got my hands on a really gorgeous Red Grapefruit, I knew it deserved a very special preparation. 

I've made many a salad using citrus and fennel before (like this Blood Orange and Fennel Salad), but never a Panzanella. If you aren't familiar, Panzanella is a Tuscan Salad preparation and yet another fantastic way to use leftover bread (a method in the same spirit as our last Tuscan dish, Pappa al Pomodoro). Panzanella is typically a Summer Salad made with chunks of often stale Bread incorporated throughout (more info on its history HERE). When the salad dressing soaks through these little croutons of goodness, extraordinary things happen. As you might imagine, many such humble dishes arose as a way to make peasant food as delicious as possible. When I happened on a wonderful wintery riff on Panzanella from a blog called the The Vintage Mixer, I knew it was just the thing. 

With a few very minor tweaks to tailor this lovely recipe to my taste, the result was quite extraordinary.The key to this dish is using extremely ripe Red Grapefruit. If you are looking for a wonderful Summer Panzanella, my go to recipe is from Ina Garten. Check it out HERE. 

Winter Panzanella with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Avocado, and Fennel

Winter Panzanella with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Avocado, and Fennel

Photo: NK

Lightly Adapted from The Vintage Mixer
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
For the Salad
1 large Fennel Bulb, tough middle discarded, and then thinly sliced
1/3 Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 large and very ripe Ruby Red Grapefruit, peeled and cut into bite sized sections
1 Ripe Avocado, cubed


For the Panzanella Croutons
4 Slices Round Semolina Loaf cubed, or Crusty Bread of your choice (about 1.5 Cups)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Hot Spanish Paprika, or Regular Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper

Finished Chunks of Bread, Photo: NK

For the Dressing 
Scant 1/4 Cup Fresh Red Grapefruit Juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Agave Syrup or Honey
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
3 Tablespoons chopped Fennel Fronds

Method:
Prepare the Bread Cubes by placing them in a ziploc bag or bowl, drizzling with Olive Oil, sprinkling with the Spanish Paprika, Salt and Pepper. Shake or mix until evenly coated. Lightly toast the Breadcrumbs on a cookie sheet in toaster or oven until golden. Set aside. 

Next, combine all the dressing ingredients, and set aside. 

To prepare, Toss Grapefruit, Onion, Fennel and Bread Cubes together and sprinkle with a good amount of the dressing (you may have leftover). Sprinkle some of the remaining dressing over the Avocado. Plate the salad, dot with the Avocado, garnish with some Fennel Fronds and serve!

VOILA!

Photo, NK