Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Deep flavors don’t need to be heavy. Take the earthiness of lacinto kale paired with tender cannellini beans. Their textures and flavors certainly compliment one another but toss them with sweet tomatoes, sautéed shallots plus savory garlic and you’ve got a light dish yet hearty enough to bolster your spirits and soul!

This is a gorgeous salad, perfect for lunch or served as a side is the inspiration of Emily. My Grandmothers’ roots run through her for sure. Her creativity in pulling together a fabulous meal with items on hand is quite impressive.

We love kale and feel it gets really bad press. Lacinto kale is also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale. It differs from curly leaf kale in that it is a bit more tender with a milder, almost sweet tone. There are really only a few tricks in working with kale. Wash it really well. Place it in a sink full of cold water, swirl it, let it soak then rinse, repeat and dry. Then remove the stem from the back of the leaf. You can grab it and pull or take a sharp knife and trim it out.

The other piece, finely chop the kale. The leaves of kale are tougher than lettuce so you want them in much smaller pieces.

Along with the kale you’ll want cannellini beans, fresh tomatoes – Campari or cherry are good choices any month of the year – along with shallots and garlic.

Then to dress this simple salad let’s mix a vinaigrette with fresh lemon, a bit of chicken stock, white wine, cider vinegar, a generous dollop of tomato paste, rich extra-virgin olive oil, and a handful of toasted walnuts.

Grab a gorgeous bunch of kale, a knife and a bottle of wine – you’ll need a splash for the vinaigrette plus you can have a sip while you prep the kale!

Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

1 large shallot, slice thin, about ½ cup

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine, about 2 teaspoons

1-½ tablespoon olive oil

1 bunch Lacinto kale, washed and dried

3 Campari tomatoes, chopped, about 1 cup

1 large can cannellini beans, 15-ounces, rinsed

Warm the olive oil in a skillet placed over medium heat. Sauté the shallot for about 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Trim the stem from the back of the kale leaves.

Chop the kale leaves into thin strips then chop it into small pieces. Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl along with the tomatoes, cannellini beans, the sautéed shallots and garlic.

For the walnut vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons chicken stock

Zest of 1 lemon, about ½ teaspoon

Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

⅓ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Pour the olive oil into a small, deep mixing bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar, white wine, and chicken stock along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, tomato paste, kosher salt, black pepper, and sugar.

Add the toasted walnuts then using an immersion blender, mix until the ingredients are blended together and the vinaigrette is fairly smooth.

To assemble the salad:

Spoon about half of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to mix together, adding more as needed to thoroughly coat the vegetables. Season with additional kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 6.

To toast the walnuts, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they smell fragrant and are crisp. You can toast up more than you need and keep extra in the freezer.