Showstopping Black Kale Caesar Salad

Dear Kara,

I hope your tamale pumpkin is going well! It looks delish and so cute. In NJ,  Governor Christie cancelled Halloween because of Hurricane Sandy! While it is still on in NYC, Things are really quite in my building because there aren't any kids.

Now that it is Fall I wanted to share my favorite caesar salad recipe. I love caesar salad but it isn't the healthiest. I also find that most men in general don't like salads but they love caesar salad; so it's always a success at dinner parties. I like to substitute romaine for black kale because it is one of the most nutrient dense veggies. Kale, known as "Queen of Greens" is high in fiber, vitamin A, C, K, Calcium and iron. The hearty green is from the Brassica family which also includes cabbage, collards, broccoli and brussel sprouts.  The green in the last couple years is a lot easier to find at the grocery stores and farmer markets. Black kale is flavorful, crunchy and hearty so the salad itself is quite fulfilling. If you want to add a protein to the salad I recommend flank steak or shrimp. (Salmon is great too but then don't add the anchovies to the dressing)

Black Kale Caesar Salad:

-2 Heads of Black Kale
*Be sure to wash the kale VERY VERY well

-1 Cup Croutons (More or less depending on preference. Be sure that the croutons are extra crispy and larger in scale to stand up to the heartiness of the kale)
*I prefer to use a french baguette brushed with olive oil, rubbed with garlic, rosemary baked and then crumbled up.

-Parmesan
*Your call but I like to finely shave the cheese on to each individual serving to keep it as healthy as possible. Most prefer to add it shredded to the dressing as well as sprinkled in the salad.

-Dressing
*Makes 2/3 cup, 100 calories, fat 11g, Protein 6 grams, 0 Carbs
-1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
-1/4 Cup Olive Oil
-1 Garlic Clove
-2 Egg Yolks
-2 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
-2 Tbs White Wine Vinegar
-1/4 Tsp Dry Mustard
-1/8 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
-2 Anchovies (optional) blended

1. Combine the oils and the garlic clove in a jar and refrigerate ideally overnight. (If not @ minimum 1 hour)

2. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining ingredients together in a small saucepan. Keep on low, constantly stirring, until the sides start to bubble. Remove from pan and let mixture sit for 15-20 minutes to cool.

3. Take out the oils and remove the garlic. Add the oil and egg yolk mixture to blender and blend together until smooth. If you don't have a blender, no worries, just mix together thoroughly.

XOXOXOXOXOXO
Margaret