Romaine and Slivered Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

5 from 2 votes

This is one of my favorite simple salad recipes.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: People

Fold the kale leaves in half lengthwise so that the rib is clearly visible on one side. Cut out the ribs. Stack the kale leaves on top of each other and roll them up lengthwise. Cut them crosswise into very thin (about 1/4-inch) ribbons.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the sliced kale and use your fingers to rub the dressing into the kale ribbons. Set aside for up to 30 minutes, or keep going if you don't have extra time.
Cut the romaine crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Add the sliced romaine to the kale and toss. Add the Grana Padano and toss again. Serve.

Slice the kale very thinly for the best texture. Big pieces of kale can be hard to chew and swallow, so thinly slicing, or chiffonading, the kale makes every forkful a pleasure.
"Marinating" the kale in the dressing for a few hours softens the kale, makes it more tender, and infuses it with the lemony dressing. Then add the rest of the ingredients so they stay crunchy.
If you have the inclination, use your fingers to give the dressed kale ribbons a 30-second massage to give them even more tenderness.
Leave the cheese out for a vegan salad, or if you don't want cheese in the salad because there is cheese in whatever you are serving with the salad.