Marinated Kale and Winter Fruit Salad

Kale is not something that showed up on my dinner plate as a child, so until recently, it was an unknown. I had a vague notion of it as some kind of stiffly starched leaf that would have to be boiled down until it took on an edible stance. I was wrong, however, and thanks to this recipe and some overnight marinating, kale and I have become friends.

Eli’s mom made this salad for Easter dinner a few months ago, and I could have eaten just that, foregoing the ham and roast chicken. Eli, who is not a fan of “leaves,” as he refers to them, was happy to leave the salad to me. He missed out, but he’s not about to believe me on that. The fresh, leafy taste of the kale combined with the sweet tang of the vinaigrette and the varying flavors of dried cranberry, apple, and pomegranate seeds makes this one of those concoctions that satisfies multiple taste buds simultaneously. (You’ve never seeded a pomegranate? Have no fear. See instructions below.)

Since Easter, I’ve been waiting for kale to show up at the farmers’ market. This past Saturday, it did, and I bought a pound of the gigantic, curly-edged leaves.

I can already envision variations to this salad as summer advances – berries, peaches, maybe even cantaloupe when it comes into season.

The trick is marinating the kale overnight in the dressing, which leaves it tender with just a bit of crunch to the ruffled edges. No cooking required. The volume of the salad will be significantly reduced as the kale wilts during marinating, so don’t be freaked out by the initial quantity.

Marinated Kale and Winter Fruit Salad
10-12 large leaves of kale, washed, de-stemmed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 small apple, diced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (pignolis)
Seeds from 1 pomegranate

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Prepare the kale and fruits. Toss together in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad, tossing again to coat. Allow to rest several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

How to seed a pomegranate:

Fill a large bowl with water. Holding the pomegranate underwater, peel slightly with a knife, and using your thumbs, break the fruit apart, continuing to break into smaller sections until all the seeds are exposed and can be popped out with your fingers. Seeds will sink to the bottom while the pith will float and can be scooped away with a slotted spoon.