Blog Archive

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Recipe: Kale and Avocado Salad with a Japanese-Inspired Vinaigrette

Kale and Avocado Salad







Kale and Avocado Salad

by Victoria Challancin
Flavors of the Sun International Cooking School
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico


In the last couple of years, consumers' options in San Miguel have increased dramatically in many areas. Perhaps the most dramatic changes concern food.  Almost overnight, or so it sometimes seems, we have organic farms, stores, bakeries, cheese makers, and more--to the delight of all the conscientious foodies who live or dine here.  Now that I can find organic kale, I look for ways to use it.  This recipe, which Saveur Magazine printed with the permission of Elf ;in LA's Echo Park, is a gem.  I prepared this with a class of Mexican cooks who couldn't believe how delicious, healthy, and easy it was to prepare.



Kale and Avocado Salad


1⁄2 cup fresh orange juice

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped into a paste
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
2 tbsp. raw hemp seeds (optional)
1 bunch kale (about 3⁄4 lb.), stemmed and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Whisk together juices, soy sauce, and garlic in a bowl. Slowly whisk in oil; set dressing aside.


Cut 2 avocados into 1⁄2" cubes and thinly slice the remaining avocado. Put cubed avocados, half of the hemp seeds, and kale into a serving bowl. Toss kale mixture with dressing and season generously with salt and pepper. Divide salad between plates and garnish with sliced avocado and remaining hemp seeds.

SERVES 4 – 6

4 comments:

Alisa said...

This is wonderful!I love the salad photos you have on your blog, and this one really looks delicious.If you wont mind I'd love to guide Foodista readers to this post.Just add the foodista widget to the end of this post and it's all set, Thanks!

Anonymous said...

It was a hit. Thanks!

jennifer rose said...

Where in San Miguel de Allende, or central Mexico for that matter, can you buy hemp seeds?

Victoria of Flavors of the Sun said...

Jennifer--I have yet to find them, thus considered them optional. Even without them, this was a great salad. I will ask again, though, at the two local "green" stores to see if we can now buy them.