KALE & QUINOA SALAD
Of all of the salads that I’ve made for people, this one is by far the one that I get asked for the recipe the most. I came up with it in my days as a private chef, initially inspired by tabouleh, it’s evolved over the years into an herb-forward, tangy green salad that is great when you need to give your liver extra love—which is why I consider it a perfect spring salad.
A very convenient thing about it is that it actually tastes better the day after making, which makes it a good option for a picnic or pot lock as wilting is not a problem.
If you prefer to make it grain-free, use hemp seeds instead of the quinoa, I like to use both.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1/2 cup of dry quinoa
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and cut in chiffonade (thinly sliced)
1 bunch of parsley, chopped (I’m not very picky about removing stems as long as their chopped fine)
1 bunch of mint, stems removed and chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup of hempseeds (optional)
1/4 cup of currants (optional)
2 limes (use 4 if they’re very small, or substitue with lemons)
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground
1 teaspoon + more for sprinkling Salt
Cook the quinoa following package instructions (cook in double the amount of water, simmering for 10-15 min). Let it cool. If you’re short on time, place it in the freezer for few minutes, just make sure you don’t forget and leave it in there for too long!
In a small jar add the juice of limes, olive oil, allspice and salt. Shake well and taste to adjust for more salt, acidity or oil.
Place the kale in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with salt and massage the salt into the kale with your hands until it begins to release some of its juices. Add the parsley, mint, scallions, currants, hemp seeds, and cooled quinoa. Add half of the dressing and toss thoroughly. Let it sit for a few minutes and taste. Add more dressing or leave as is.