Steven Gundry MD’s delicious kale salad tastes like fall – and is easy to make for vegans or meat-lovers alike. This filling salad features a deeply flavorful herb and caramelized shallot dressing, as well as optional pancetta and goat cheese to turn it into a complete meal.
If you’re making this in the fall and winter, use fresh, green pear. In the summer, try this with peaches or plums. Or simply leave the fruit out if you’d prefer.
Kale and green pear salad with warm pancetta — herb dressing:
Ingredients (serves 2 as a meal, or 4 as an appetizer):
¼ cup pancetta (or olive oil, if vegetarian)
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp minced rosemary
1 Tbsp minced thyme
1 Tbsp minced sage
Juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 cups shredded kale
1 crisp green pear, peeled and cut into matchsticks
½ cup toasted walnuts
¼ cup goat or blue cheese crumbles (optional)
Instructions:
In a small saute pan, heat the pancetta over medium heat, and cook slowly until pancetta is crispy and fat is rendered, 2-5 minutes, then strain out the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. If using olive oil, simply heat over medium heat.
Add shallots and garlic to pancetta fat or olive oil, and saute for 1 minute, then add lemon zest, pepper, rosemary, thyme and sage.
Cook until herbs are very fragrant and shallots are soft, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Add lemon juice and balsamic vinegar to the pan, whisking to combine.
Place kale in a large bowl, and drizzle with the shallot dressing mixture. Using your hands, massage for 2-3 minutes, until kale is bright green and tender.
Fold in green pear, walnuts, cheese, and crisped pancetta if using, and serve.