Massaged Kale Sprout Caesar Salad

Massaged Kale Sprout Caesar Salad is a fresh take on the classic Caesar salad!  If you can’t find kale sprouts, use baby kale or shredded Brussels sprouts.

What are kale sprouts?

Because I’m a crazed Brussels sprout fanatic and kale fanatic, I was so excited when Brussels sprouts and kale got married and had these little kale sprout babies!  They’re a cross between red Russian kale and Brussels sprouts.

Most of the time I simply roast them–several bags at a time.  (You can reheat them, but they’re GREAT cold!)

To prep kale sprouts for roasting, I drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  I then give them a thorough massage so the olive oil covers every little spot and they’re evenly seasoned.

If you’ve never “massaged” your kale, massaging helps soften it and reduces some of the bitterness.  Here’s more information from The Huffington Post.

Kale sprouts are absolutely delicious with only olive oil, salt and pepper treatment as mentioned above.  I can’t help but snitch a few before I put them in the oven which inspired me to use them in a salad.

Tips for making Caesar dressing without coddled eggs:

Caesar salad made the traditional way involves raw egg yolks or “coddling” the egg (which means to lightly cook it).

Whisking lemon juice into yolks should make them safe as does coddling the egg.  However, in my business, it’s something a personal chef does not risk–especially with children, seniors or anyone with a compromised immune system.

Instead, I came up with this super-safe Caesar dressing for my clients that uses mayonnaise instead to achieve the richness egg yolks typically provide.

• If eggs are a problem for you, substitute a vegan mayonnaise.
• If a fish allergy is a problem, substitute vegan Worcestershire for both the anchovy paste and the conventional Worcestershire.

If you wish to make your own croutons, here’s a great tutorial from The Kitchn.  For ease, use a good artisan-style crouton.  (I used Kroger’s Private Selection Green Olive Focaccia Croutons.)

I prefer to shave rather than grate a good domestic Parmesan (such as Sartori) or imported Parmigiano-Reggiano over a Caesar.  With grated cheese, you’ll taste it throughout the salad.  Instead, shaved shards provide little pops of salty goodness so all the ingredients can shine through.

Now go make this Massaged Kale Sprout Caesar Salad!

More great kale and kale sprout salads:

• Massaged Kale, Beet and Blueberry Salad with Honey – Balsamic Dressing
• Quinoa and Kale Salad with Red Grapes, Walnuts and Lemon Honey Dressing
• Massaged Kale Antipasto Salad
• Shredded Kale Sprout and Baby Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

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