Kale Caesar with Sourdough Breadcrumbs and Smoked Coho Salmon

This salad is great for making use of all of the leafy greens in season, notably lacinato kale. First, the kale is massaged till tender, before being luxuriated in a generous dousing of a homemade caesar dressing. We adorn the salad with our smoked salmon, and shower it in breadcrumbs.

My preferred vessel for making a caesar dressing will always be a mortar and pestle; you can efficiently pound the garlic and anchovies into a paste without dirtying an extra dish, and don’t need to worry about a flimsy bowl spinning erratically out of control as you whisk in the oil. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, reach for your heaviest bowl and place it onto a dampened towel to help secure it into place.

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 large garlic cloves

2 anchovy filets

1 egg yolk, preferably from pasture raised eggs

1 tsp dijon mustard

⅔ cup mild olive oil, plus more for massaging the kale

3 tbsp lemon juice, plus more for massaging the kale

⅔ cup grated parmesan, plus more to garnish

1 tsp worcestershire

½ teaspoon black pepper

Salt to season

1 large bunch lacinato kale, destemmed and roughly chopped

⅓ cup sourdough breadcrumbs, recipe follows

1 tin Ekone smoked salmon

Instructions

Add the garlic cloves and anchovy filets to your mortar and gracefully smash them into a paste with the pestle. If using a bowl, simply microplane the garlic and make a rough puree out of the anchovies by finely chopping them, and then smashing them with the side of your knife. Add the egg yolk and dijon mustard to your choice vessel, and give everything a good stir with a whisk to combine. Slowly, drop by drop, start incorporating the olive oil as you whisk with your free hand. It’s essential to be patient and intentional here, as adding the oil too quickly risks the emulsion breaking. Once the mixture begins to look emulsified and glossy, you can start incorporating the oil in a faster, more consistent stream. Once you’ve incorporated all of the olive oil, the mixture should look very thick and luscious. Whisk in the lemon juice, parmesan, worcestershire, and black pepper. Taste for seasoning, and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped kale with a small drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a small pinch of salt. Massage the kale until it’s tender and delicious. This step, in my opinion, is essential for optimizing the texture of raw kale - it tenderizes the greens and takes off the grassy, toothsome edge of a raw, leafy green.

Generously dress the kale in the caesar dressing, then toss in the breadcrumbs and smoked salmon. Give everything a gentle toss, then serve the salad topped with more breadcrumbs and another grind of black pepper.