Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Kale Salad with Parmesan and Lemon Recipe

by
J. Kenji López-Alt Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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J. Kenji López-Alt
updated Mar. 07, 2019
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Note: This recipe makes more salad dressing than you need. It can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Adapted from Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Recipe Facts

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Active: 15 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons fresh juice and 1 tablespoon zest from 2 to 3 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 anchovy filet, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated on a microplane grater (about 2 cups)
  • 3/4 cup neutral oil (such as safflower or canola)
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups finely cubed sourdough bread
  • 12 ounces kale leaves, large stems removed, sliced into thin ribbons
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Combine lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, anchovy, mustard, egg yolk, chile flakes, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until homogeneous, about 10 seconds. With processor running, slowly drizzle neutral oil through feed tube, stopping the processor to scrape down sides as necessary until a smooth emulsion is formed, about 20 seconds.

  2. Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  3. Heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread cubes and cook, tossing and stirring constantly until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt and pepper.

  4. To serve, combine kale and mint in a large bowl with about 1/2 cup dressing (more or less as desired). Toss to coat well and let sit around 3 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with croutons and sliced chiles. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

Food processor

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