This Fried Provolone Kale Salad is a fairly simple vegetarian salad that packs a punch. The fried provolone has a wonderful flavor and adds a bit of a chewy texture that melds with the juicy tomatoes and hearty kale. The dill pesto ties it all together.
It’s crazy planning a wedding and all the festivities that are involved. You plan, plan, plan, and before you know it you are partaking in these plans and then it’s over. It becomes a blur! There were so many friends that I hadn’t seen in years, it was a bit overwhelming and it was hard to say goodbye! Luckily Robby had four weeks off work to start our new life together as a married couple. We are waiting to take a honeymoon but I am super excited because we are going to spend a few days on the Russian River. My mom uses to live in Sebastopol and she had a good friend that lived on the river. I loved it there and I am very excited to go back after so many years. Erin from The Forest Feast had posted about a trip to the Russian River and I thought I have to go back there. She also talked about a restaurant she liked in Guerneville called “Boon eat + drink” and she said the mac n cheese was really good. We are definitely going to check it out because I am a mac n cheese freak! I can’t wait!
This salad pairs well with almost any wine. It is particularly good with a Prosecco or a Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.
Fried Provolone Kale Salad with a Dill Pesto Vinaigrette Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 Head Purple Kale - washed - de-ribbed - torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Basket Cherry Tomatoes - your choice - whole or cut in half
- 1 Cup Red Cabbage - thinly sliced and roughly chopped
- 8 oz. Fried Provolone - 4 1/4 inch slices cut in half = 8 pieces
Dill Pesto Vinaigrette
- 1 Cup Fresh Dill
- 1/3 Cup Raw Walnuts
- 1/3 Cup Asiago Cheese
- 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
- 1 Small Garlic Clove
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
Vinaigrette
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Pick off the leaves, or for the most part, you can grab one end of the stem and pull all the leaves off at once.
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Measure all the ingredients and add everything to a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined, scraping the sides at least once.
Kale
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Wash, de-ribbed and tear into bite-sized pieces.
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Add to a large bowl along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
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Massage the oil into the kale very well. You want to soften the kale.
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Toss in the cabbage and set aside.
Fried provolone
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Add a tiny bit of olive oil in a nonstick pan on medium-low heat.
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When the oil is hot add a slice of provolone. Cook until the edges become golden brown. You want the bottom to be really cooked so it's easy to flip. If it is hard to flip and folds on itself it's ok, just do the best you can and flatten it again let it become golden brown.
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Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
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When cooled, tear into small bite-sized pieces.
Assemble
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Stir in half of the dressing into the kale and mix in the tomatoes and provolone.
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Taste the salad to see if you would like more dressing or serve remaining dressing on the side.
Health benefits:
Check out this incredible article all about the 25 scientifically backed health benefits of kale here.
Kale is low in calories, high in fiber and it is a loaded with antioxidants which help detox the liver. It is also an anti-inflammatory with omega-3 fatty acids, which is helpful for arthritis, joint pain and asthma. Kale has more Iron than beef and more calcium than milk which helps prevents osteoporosis, joint flexibility and helps maintain normal bone health. It is great for cardiovascular support that helps in lowering cholesterol. It is really high in vitamin A, C, and super high in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K (anyone taking anticoagulants should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K that may interfere with the drugs.)
