Stupid Good Roasted Kale

Roasted leafy greens are all the rage now, apparently. And I just made the most stunningly flavorful roasted kale, which was based on a recipe found here. But I changed it up a bit, replacing the hazelnuts with toasted pumpkin seeds, and omitting the vinegar and mint.

It's hearty, utterly satisfying, and just suprisingly good. The edges of the kale get a little crispy, while the rest of the leaves get just slightly soft, but still firm. Not at all bitter and with the benefit of the toasted pumpkin seeds, there's an additional smokey flavor and crunch texture. The yogurt is creamy and tangy and a great foil for the roasted flavors.  Just try it. You will not be disappointed.

Roasted kale salad with yogurt dressing and pumpkin seeds

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2 bunches Russian or curly kale, stems removed
1 handful of halved cherry tomatoes
Preheat oven to Broil.

To prep the kale. First soak both bunches in a sink-ful of water for 10-15 minutes so the bugs and dirt fall to the bottom. Then take each stalk out one at a time, and holding the bottom of the inner rib, pull your other hand up the stalk to quickly strip the leaves from the rib. So much easier than slicing the leaves away from the rib one at a time! I will never go back.

For the dressing. Add the yogurt, shallot, garlic, mint, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and lemon juice to a bowl and whisk together. Then add a pinch of sea salt and pepper and taste. Add more as you like. This makes almost double the amount of dressing you need for one recipe. But you won’t be sorry because it’s delicious on anything.

For the kale. Lay the kale onto a large cookie sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and toss as best you can with your hands. Put the kale into your super hot oven, preferably under the broiler (once it’s had a chance to wilt a bit). Takes about a minute--watch carefully. The kale will cook super fast and it’s totally fine if a few leaves get burned. Turn the leaves as they cook so that all pieces are nicely wilted.

 Sprinkle seeds and tomatoes over the top. Drizzle dressing generously. Top with lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Enjoy!