Kale Salad

It's been a little while since my last post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking.  Maybe I just haven't been cooking anything terribly exciting; I'll fess up to that.

And here is a recipe that will frustrate those of you who like to follow recipes, because this requires a bit of intuition.  And tasting.  And more intuition.  And more tasting. 

Truth be told, I set out to create something not unlike the seaweed salad one gets with sushi.  The bright green, oil-dressed strands of seaweed and cucumber are delicious, no doubt, but I don't usually buy that kind of seaweed to use at home.

Now imagine that salad rich with avocado and a bit of miso, and that's basically what you've got here, only with kale.

My measurements aren't exact.  I implore you to taste the dressing first to make sure you like it, before mixing it all up together.

Kale Salad

1 big bunch lacinato kale
1-2 cucumbers, sliced length-wise, de-seeded, and chopped
1 avocado, chopped

I usually rip the stems from the kale no matter how tender and young.  I simply don't want to chew on stems.  I recommend de-stemming the big bunch of kale, and then making a chiffonade, as much as you can chiffonade a big bunch of de-stemmed kale.

Dressing:

2 T. miso
2 T. white vinegar or rice vinegar
1 T. agave nectar or sugar
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. sesame seeds
a little water to get it to the right consistency

Mix together the dressing, taste accordingly, add more of any of the above to get the proper taste.  Whisk well.  Add the kale, cucumber, and avocado, and fold together with a wooden spoon.  Keep stirring!  This is my equivalent of "massaging" the kale.  

If you can let it sit in the fridge a little bit before serving it, that's even better.  It will give the flavors a chance to meld, and the kale a chance to soften.