You know how you make kale salad at home and it's just okay but you order it in a restaurant and it's amazing? Well, it's because they massage it: I'm not really sure if it's the salt or the oil but it really makes a difference. Like many things in cooking, you have to wonder how anyone discovered this.
Serves 2 (but I ate the whole thing)
1/4 lb chopped kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Put the kale, olive oil and salt in a bowl and gently massage for as long as you can stand it, about 5 minutes. If you don't like getting your hands oily, you can certainly do this without the oil. The kale will go from kind of hearty in texture and dull in color to silky and bright and it will halve in volume.
Now add the lemon juice and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Add additional salt (only if you need it) and black pepper.
You can fancy up this salad by adding dried fruit, like currants or cranberries; nuts like lightly toasted pine nuts, almonds, walnuts or pecans or even toasted pumpkin or sesame seeds. You can add fresh mango, apple or grapefruit slices or chunks. You can add julienned carrots, diced avocado, even grilled chicken. This salad is somehow delicate and hearty all at once. Enjoy.
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