Keeping in the same vein of the simplest things are really the best, here is a recipe I adapted from ELLE à Table.
I am usually not a fan of romaine – it’s just a little bit boring to me – but it provides a nice clean crunch when paired with hearty kale and fragrant mint.
The salty ricotta salata finishes this side salad off perfectly, enjoy!
Tips: I used ‘dinosaur’ lacinato kale because I prefer it in taste and texture, but feel free to use any kind that you like. Ricotta salata is a type of ricotta that is salted, pressed, and set into blocks. It is pretty hard for a soft cheese so is easy to cut into thin slivers, perfect for salads.
Mint, romaine, kale, and ricotta salata salad
You’ll need:
- 1/2 head of romaine
- 6-7 lacinato kale leaves
- 3-4 mint sprigs, picked
- 2 oz ricotta salata
- a pinch of fleur de sel
- dressing: olive oil + 1 t lemon juice + 1 t sweet balsamic vinegar (I used a fig chili one I had)
1. Wash the greens really well. Chop the romaine roughly. De-stem and shred the kale.
2. Pick the mint leaves off of the sprigs, roll them up and cut them into a rough chiffonade.
3. With your paring knife, slice the ricotta salata as thinly as you can. Toss the greens and cheese together in a large bowl.
4. Season lightly with olive oil, lemon juice, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Top with a pinch of salt.
I love romaine in certain salads, but it’s not my first choice. I think this is a great mix of greens.
Agreed with you there, definitely not my go-to but good in combination with other things!
Simplest is the best if you are cooking my frined, this salad looks awesome 😀
Cheers
CCU
Thank you, Uru!
I must get up to snuff on understanding the kale varieties.. here in Calgary, we just get any old kale they’re willing to sell us, lol! I’ve had some larger leaves and some more delicate that were packed in a plastic tub. Not sure what type they were but both were yummy. You have excellent flavors mixing in this salad! xx
Is the kind you normally get smooth or curly, Smidge? I think they all taste a bit different too, but I really use the different varieties depending on the texture. Lacinato/dinosaur kale is my favorite!
This is delicious! It certainly seems like a good spring salad! All the light tastes I really enjoy! 🙂
Thank you! I hope it will help us say goodbye to winter and hello to spring!