by Cheesemonger Carolyn ; dressing adapted from Sunkissed Kitchen
It may not seem like the obvious choice, but Ale-Soaked Bellavitano is a PERFECT salad cheese, especially paired with a heartier green like kale. Here, I’ve added the cheese in two separate preparations to highlight its versatility—fine little flecks mix with a fresh raspberry vinaigrette and turn creamy and sweet, while large, thin flakes garnish the final product and add one last dose of texture and salt. Throw in diced apple and red onion, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds make for a salad as beautiful as it is delicious. I honestly felt like I was eating dessert. Bon appetit!
INGREDIENTS
For the raspberry vinaigrette:
• 1 cup (about 6oz) raspberries, slightly thawed if frozen
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch kosher salt
For the salad:
• 12oz kale (two small bundles for me), rinsed
• 1 small red onion
• 1 medium apple
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 8oz Ale-soaked Bellavitano
• Flaky salt (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prep the dressing: in a pint-sized mason jar or other small lidded container, muddle raspberries with a fork until soft and blended. Add olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, and a big pinch of salt. Secure the lid on the jar and shake, shake, shake until vinaigrette is well-combined.
2. Stem and chop the kale until it’s as fine as you like. Add to your largest salad bowl and drizzle with about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Massage the dressing into the kale until leaves are tender and shiny. Let sit while you prep the rest of the veg.
3. Finely dice the apple and red onion, then add those plus the cranberries and almonds to the salad and toss well. I like to toss and taste the salad after adding each ingredient so I can play with proportions and adjust to my taste preferences!
4. Using the finest side of a box grater or a microplane, grate about half your wedge of Bellavitano over the salad. Mix well, then drizzle vinaigrette over top, a quarter cup or so at a time, tasting and repeating until salad is dressed to your preference.
5. To serve, divide salad into 4-6 bowls. With the largest side of a box grater, a cheese plane, a vegetable peeler or simply a good chef knife, carefully cut large thin shavings of the remaining Bellavitano and distribute over each serving. Garnish with a big pinch of flaky salt, any remaining dressing, and additional almonds and/or cranberries if desired and enjoy!
NOTES
- A mason jar vinaigrette is a small victory all on its own and this is my favorite I’ve concocted so far. If you have extra or make a larger batch, try it drizzled over chicken cutlets, grain bowls, soft creamy cheeses...the sky’s the limit!
- Bulk up this salad by adding leftover roast chicken and/or cooked grains. You could also try white beans or chickpeas!
- A little extra crunch in a salad is never amiss either—try tossing in pepitas, sunflower seeds, or your favorite croutons for a bit more oomph. (I actually added an additional 1/2 cup of nuts to mine!)
- The beauty of a kale salad is it actually keeps remarkably well, even once dressed. Before garnishing with Bellavitano flakes and additional dressing, store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.