The Ultimate Kale Salad

For Thanksgiving last year we went a-visiting family.  At dinner, each family contributed a recipe to the meal.  My sister-in-law made this delicious kale salad for us.  It was so good!  And it smelled so good while she made it.  The original recipe calls for breadcrumbs but I leave those out because they are (1) a hassle and (2) extra grain carbs I don't need. 

Ingredients:
one bunch of kale

You have to wash, dry, and remove the tough stems.  Then cut it into as small pieces as humanly possible.  (This takes forever!!!)

1/4 c olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
heat the oil over medium heat and fry the garlic in it until fragrant and just on the verge of coloring (which you will need to intuit, given that it won’t have colored yet!).  Yes I totally guess every time I make this.  You can't tell when the garlic colors because the oil colors it even without heat.  I just do it til it smells good.

3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sherry vinegar (balsamic makes an okay substitute)
Add the salt and vinegar to the pan and stir for another minute as the vinegar sizzles furiously and the whole thing foams and becomes outrageously fragrant.  Can you see the foam?

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pour half the hot dressing over the kale and toss very thoroughly with a pair of tongs. Then get in there with your hands and massage it until the leaves are glossy and dark. Now taste it, and add more dressing as needed. Stir in the cheese and consume.  

My salad lasted at least 5 days in the fridge but most likely there will be more than one person eating it.  I think it tastes better after it has been chilled but you can eat it right after you finish it.  

*Here is the original recipe in case you want it with the breadcrumbs and stuff.  It also includes pictures of how she did it.