From Farmers Market to Table

It was one of those mornings. Not quite ready to start the day, I hit the snooze button a few too many times, leaving no window in my already rushed morning to pack a lunch. Fortunately for me, this morning lethargy prompted a necessary lunch trip to Caviar & Bananas and the serendipitous discovery of my new favorite go-to salad.  It was no ordinary salad. Fresh shredded parmesan mingled with slivered almonds and dried cranberries atop lightly dressed kale greens to create a perfect little lunch for a balmy Charleston afternoon. In fact, it was so good I went back twice that week.

And when I tredded through the crowds on the opening day of the Marion Square Farmers Market this past weekend, some fresh kale from Ambrose Farms caught my attention and summoned my inner Barefoot Contessa. I thought I would experiment with my own recreation of C&B's delectable kale dish. To my surprise, it was super easy and pretty true to the original. Try it!

Kale Salad
(Serves up to 4 as a side salad)

1 bunch kale
Olive oil
Shredded parmesan or asiago cheese
Slivered Almonds
Dried cranberries (can be substituted with fresh grapes)
Lemon
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Wash and trim the stems off kale and place in a bowl. Drizzle several glugs of olive oil until each leaf is lightly coated and turns a vivid green. I used a garlic oil and a little bit of sesame oil for a nutty flavor, any oil would do. Add a boatload of fresh shredded parmesan (I used a three-cheese blend of fontina, asiago, and parmesan). Top with slivered almonds and dried cranberries or sliced red grapes. Add a healthy squeeze of lemon, and fresh ground pepper to taste. It's easy and delish.

NOTE: You can always add protein to make it full meal.  A poached egg would be especially good.