KALE SALAD WITH LEMONY-RYE BREADCRUMBS

We know what it’s like to look at a chunk of bread that’s gone unused on the counter for a few too many days. But of the many ways to repurpose old bread, one that’s worth noting is turning the bread into a flavorful breadcrumb to mix in with a hearty green. This recipe uses our Midnight Rye Sourdough to make lemony breadcrumbs that offer an earthy and kind of chewy layer to an otherwise tangy and salty kale salad. Some quick-pickled red onions and a simple apple cider vinegar dressing form a punchy flavor base that really highlights the deliciousness of our rye sourdough.

Makes 4 Generous Servings

Active Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Equipment: Citrus Zester, Food Processor (optional)

YOU’LL NEED:

Pickled Onions

½ cup (120 g) boiling water

¼ cup (60 g) apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. (8g) caster sugar

¾ tsp. (2g) flake salt

½ red onion (about 70 g), thinly sliced

Dressing

1 lemon

⅓ cup (85 g) mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tsp. (9g) honey

1 tsp. (5g) Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Breadcrumbs

2 generous slices or a 125 g piece of Grizzly Midnight Rye Sourdough

2 Tbsp. (28g) butter

¼ cup (40 g) pumpkin seed/sunflower seed mix

¾ tsp. (2 g) flake salt

Assembly

1 bunch kale 

100 g feta cheese

METHOD:

Make Pickled Onions: Stir together boiling water, vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Add onions and set aside. 

Make Dressing: Zest lemon and set aside for Breadcrumbs. Juice lemon into a large mixing bowl and combine with the remaining Dressing ingredients. Stir until smooth and set aside. 

Make Breadcrumbs: If using a food processor, cut bread into 2-cm cubes before processing to pea-sized pieces (alternatively, use your hands to tear bread into small breadcrumbs). Melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add seeds and salt, stirring constantly until the butter begins to brown and the seeds become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Immediately add breadcrumbs and stir continuously until breadcrumbs brown slightly and the smell of toasted bread wafts from the pan, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add reserved lemon zest; stir to incorporate. Set aside.

Assemble Salad: Remove kale leaves from stems, discard stems, and roughly chop leaves into 5 cm pieces. Add to the large mixing bowl with the Dressing. Use your hands to aggressively massage the dressing into the leaves until they reduce in volume by half and the leaves feel very tender, 4 minutes. Crumble feta cheese into bowl. Drain onions and discard the pickling liquid. Add onions to the salad with the cooled breadcrumbs. Toss everything to evenly distribute.