Wolfgang Puck
By Wolfgang Puck
Welcome spring with a healthy salad of fresh kale
Springtime’s arrival announces the start of
a wonderful time in farmers’ markets, as
some of the freshest, brightest, most tender
and flavorful produce begins to fill growers’ stands. I love strolling among the stalls
with my sons, enjoying what can sometimes seem like a never-ending buffet of
tender, crisp leaves in a variety of shades,
baby peas, the first slender young shoots
of asparagus, and other vegetables, not to
mention the citrus fruits holding over from
winter and, in places, the earliest of the
berries that will make their biggest impression from late spring to summer.
Some of the easiest ways to translate
springtime produce for the table are salads. Choose greens that look good to you,
whether one variety or several; rinse them
with cold running water and dry them thoroughly with a salad spinner or simply with
a clean kitchen towel or paper towels; add
a dressing that complements the greens’
flavors and textures, as well as suiting
your own preferences; throw in a few other
ingredients for bright contrasting sparks;
and you’ve got a dish that celebrates the
season and satisfies the appetite.
One of the most popular salad greens in
recent years, which seems in no danger
of waning in its appeal, is kale, whose
crinkly dark-green leaves pack as much
healthful nutrients as they do robust flavor
and texture. Many people think of kale as
a largely a cold-weather green. But, in fact,
not only does it thrive well into spring but
also, thanks to its popularity, now seems to
be widely available in markets year-round.
If you haven’t enjoyed kale in a salad
before, now is a perfect time to give it a
try, especially in the recipe I share here
for Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette,
Golden Raisins, and Pine Nuts, from my
new book, “Wolfgang Puck Makes It
Healthy”.
brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to
a bowl and set aside.
I like to serve this healthful salad as a first
course. But you can also offer it as a side
with grilled, broiled, or roasted seafood,
poultry, or meat, or make a double batch to
serve as part of a buffet. If you’re counting calories, something many people do in
springtime as they see summer swimsuit
season approaching, you’ll be pleased to
learn that the recipe, a generous and filling
plateful of greens, is only 230 calories per
serving. Yes, about half are fat calories; but
most of those