Heirloom Kale Salad

Kale patch at 116 Crown in New Haven. Kale, a popular superfood, is featured in this salad. (Lina Zeldovich)

Connecticut-native Carey Savona's take on a kale salad includes grated ricotta salata and hazelnuts and is garnished with homemade cherry vinaigrette. You can find it at Heirloom. Make sure to whip up the vinaigrette a day in advanced to the cherries have time to brine.

Cook Time:

Prep Time:10 min

Total Time:10 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3-4 Large bunches starlight farms kale or green curly kale (washed, dried & trimmed, with heavy stalks removed)

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs, course and toasted

3 tablespoon hazelnuts, cleaned and toasted

4 ounce block of ricotta salata, grated (be certain to grate fresh on a rasp)

Sea salt (such as Maldon), to taste

1/2 cup cherry vinaigrette

2 cup cherries, pitted

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon Espelette pepper

Preparation:

In a large bowl combine kale, olive oil, lemon juice, cherry vinaigrette, salt, pepper, and toss together.

Add half of the ricotta salata, half of the breadcrumbs and half of the hazelnuts; toss again.

To serve, place salad in large bowls, top each with the remaining ricotta salata, hazelnuts, andbreadcrumbs, more olive oil, Maldon sea salt and pepper. Serve.

In a sauce pan add water, sugar, vinegar, espelette pepper and salt.

Bring to a bowl. Pour over cherries and let brine for 24 hours. This is now your vinaigrette and it can be stored or bottled for a few weeks.