Kale Salad with Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Croutons
From Milk Street Shorts by Christopher Kimball
START TO FINISH: 1 hour
SERVINGS: 4 to 6
This salad—based on one we tasted at Hostaria alla Tavernetta in Udine in northern Italy—takes loose inspiration from Italian frico, a light, lacy wafer made by frying a thin layer of shredded or grated cheese until lightly browned and crisped. We roast cauliflower tossed with breadcrumbs and sprinkled with Parmesan and chopped hazelnuts. The cheese creates a crisp, toasty crust that brings complex taste and texture to shredded kale tossed with a lemon, olive oil and Parmesan dressing.
Ingredients:
2 ½-pound head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1-inch florets
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup plain fine breadcrumbs
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ½ cups), divided
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 small bunches lacinato kale (about 12 ounces total), stemmed, leaves sliced into thin ribbons (about 8 cups)
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower, ¼ cup of the oil and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and 1 cup of the Parmesan; toss well. Distribute in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet, then sprinkle on any breadcrumb-cheese mixture remaining in the bowl. Roast until a skewer inserted into the largest florets meets just a little resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl. In it, combine the onion, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
When the cauliflower is almost fully tender, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a wide metal spatula, scrape up and flip the cauliflower, then redistribute in an even layer. Sprinkle on the hazelnuts and half (¼ cup) of the remaining Parmesan. Continue to roast until the cheese is nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the remaining ¼ cup oil and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan to the bowl with the onion. Using a fork, stir to combine. Add the kale, toss until evenly coated and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the kale to soften slightly.
Using tongs, transfer the still-warm cauliflower florets to the kale mixture, leaving the bits of nuts and cheese on the baking sheet. Toss, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to a platter and sprinkle with the bits remaining on the baking sheet.
In the kitchen, brevity is brilliant. Short recipes are the ones cooks remember best—not only because they’re simple to make and easy to repeat, but because they are boiled down to their elemental beauty and charm.
In Milk Street Shorts, Christopher Kimball and his team of cooks and editors have developed a repertoire of nearly 150 genius recipes that are casual, improvisational, and fun. These recipes are not just short—they’re bolder, better cooking because they’re short. Their essential cleverness gives them power that does not require long ingredient lists or all-day cooking.
And every recipe packs a punch—throw-it-together meals like “Nothing Soup,”Chili Crisp Peanut Noodles, and Five-Ingredient Pork and Kimchi Stew, snacks and side dishes like Sunflower Hummus, Crispy Spiced Chickpeas, and Salt and Vinegar Smashed Potatoes, and smart ways to use your oven, like Reverse-Sear Pork Loin, Skillet Lasagna, and Two-Hour Turkey. Recipes are organized by simplicity—Short, Shorter, and Shortest—with chapters including skillet suppers, sheet-pan tray bakes, and weeknight desserts like Clementine Blender Cake.