Regina’s Famous Massaged-Kale Salad* (by... Regina!)

The idea of “massaging” kale is not at all my own. I learned it because I love to look up great recipes on the net to find exciting ways to cook. Kale is very popular, extremely chic in fact, right now. One of the very chic things to do with your kale is to massage it. It breaks the fibers so that the kale is much easier to eat in large amounts, raw. Such a great green for the body.

Here’s what to do to make this famous salad:

2 small-medium sized bunches of kale, washed, spun or dried; remove stems and heavy veins, break into large bite-sized pieces. Put in a large bowl, so that your hands can work on it.

Pour 2 TBS of olive oil on the kale, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt.(You can put the oil in the palm of your hand, as you wish.) Add a bit more oil if your kale is particularly tough or your bunch is huge.

Now, with your super-clean hands, start massaging it. That means take handfuls and scrunch them, rub them together (briskly), squeeze, (the action is as if you are trying to crumble up potato chips into crumbs).

I continue the massaging (3-4 minutes usually) until the kale is a softer and somewhat smooth texture in my hands. If you are unsure, taste it, chew it. Massaged kale should be appreciably easier to chew and swallow than a bunch of raw kale leaves.

Add the following, or anything else that strikes your fancy:

1 medium handful of raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 small handful of pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds) – note that roasting these first with garlic powder or even sliced fresh garlic will make them more wondrous still

1 medium-large chopped fresh tomato

1 avocado, cut in small chunks

Grated carrot (not sliced or chunky, as the kale chewing is enough work for one meal.)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

2 TBS lemon juice or light vinegar like rice vinegar (we don’t want to overpower the other amazing flavors)

Several heaping TBS. of blue cheese crumbles (optional of course, but awesome if you have it!) Any good cheese (NOT CHEDDAR, not cream cheese) will be ok, like freshly grated parmesan or feta. Even crumbled goat cheese would be excellent.

MIX WELL but tenderly to not “smoosh” everything together.

Eat immediately ,or chill and serve later, even the next day it will still be wonderful, but I wouldn’t let it linger.

*This recipe is endorsed by the “I Don’t Like Raw Green Vegetables Society of America.” Recipient of its 2014, “Pleasesir, may I have more?” Award.

—Regina Sara Ryan, June 2014

Dixie Relish

from Bell Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine.  Helen is a master at creating canned wonders.

Makes about six 8-oz jars.

• in a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cabbage, onions, and red/yellow/green peppers.  Dissolved pickling salt in lukewarm water and pour over vegetables.  Cover and let stand in a cool place for one hour.  Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly.  Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly again.  Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid.  Set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars, and lids.
• Tie mustard seeds, celery seeds, allspice, cloves and cinnamon stick in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.
• in a large stainless steel saucepan, combine drained cabbage mixture, vinegar, sugar and spice bag.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Uncover, reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial relish, about 15 minutes.  Discard spice bag.
• Ladle hot relish into hot hjars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary7, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim.  Center lid on jar.  Screw Band down until resistance3 is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
• place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water.  Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Remover canner lid.  Wait 5 minutes, then remover jars, cool and store.