Blanched Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing, Figs, and Avocado
A bright, tender kale salad tossed in a sesame-ginger dressing with sweet figs, creamy avocado, roasted cashews, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 head curly kale stems removed, leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 8 dried figs chopped
- 1/2 avocado peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup roasted cashews
- 2 hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the kale, strip and discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves.
- Bring a pot of water to a simmer and place the kale in a steamer basket over the water. Steam 2 to 3 minutes until wilted but still slightly crunchy.
- Immediately transfer the steamed kale to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cold, drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towel.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, lemon juice, liquid aminos, maple syrup, and grated ginger until combined.
- Place the cooled, drained kale in a large serving bowl. Add the chopped dried figs, diced avocado, roasted cashews, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Pour the sesame-ginger dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine, taking care not to mash the avocado.
- Transfer to plates or a serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
Equipment
- large pot with steamer insert or steamer basket
- Large Bowl
- small bowl
- whisk or fork
- ice bath (bowl with ice and water)
- Colander
- cutting board and knife
Notes
- Steam kale just until wilted to keep some crunch.
- Shock in ice water to preserve color and texture.
- Use roasted cashews for added crunch and flavor.
- Gently toss to avoid mashing the avocado.