Garlicky Citrus Dressing
By this point in your life, you've probably heard of kale. And, if you've heard of kale, you've most definitely heard of and been enchanted by the kale caesar salad trend that swept the nation about 6 years ago.
Same, and while I LOVE caesar dressing, I realized I desperately needed to pivot away from the kale caesar and did so by creating this Garlicky Citrus dressing. Think of it as caesar's younger sister. She's spunkier, has an acidic sense of humor, and gets along with everyone! You're gonna love her and invite her to every party.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
¼ cup olive oil
freshly-squeezed lemon juice, to taste
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt
black pepper
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
It doesn't get easier than this. Simply blend all ingredients in a magic bullet or your preferred blender, mix into salad greens, and enjoy!
Below are the ingredients and recipe for the salad I made in the photo above. One of my favorite ways to use Garlicky Citrus dressing is over lacinato kale and sprinkled with grated pecorino or parmesan.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Canned chickpeas, drained
Olive oil
Garlic
Lacinato kale, sliced into extremely thin ribbons
Lemon juice
Crusty bread, cut into 1" cubes
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, grated
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Place chickpeas, olive oil, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Toast until golden and crispy. Let cool.
Place bread in a food processor and pulse a few times until bread is broken down, but there are still some fun chunky chunks. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toast bread crumbs, stirring, until golden and crispy. Let cool.
In a large bowl, place kale ribbons. Squeeze lemon juice over kale along with a sprinkle of olive oil. Using your hands, aggressively massage the lemon juice and oil into the kale. This is an extremely important step as it softens the kale and makes it significantly more pleasant to eat.
Add dressing to the kale and mix it in with your hands because they are already covered in oil so who cares?!
Top with crispy chickpeas and breadcrumbs.
Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste and enjoy!