November 2019
If you don’t typically like raw kale, this recipe might change your mind. The kale itself gets massaged in a tangy dressing until it’s soft, then topped with warm roasted squash and crispy chickpeas so that it wilts a little bit more. Finish everything off with a good dose of Parmesan, and you really can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
- 1 medium kabocha squash (3 to 4 pounds)*
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 large bunch kale (for about 8 cups of kale leaves)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese
- *If you can't find kabocha squash, you can substitute 2 acorn squash, seeded and cut into wedges; or, 3 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges.
Tools
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Sheet pans (2)
- Measuring spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Cheese grater
Instructions
1. Roast the kabocha and chickpeas.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees and fit two racks near the center. Halve the kabocha squash, cut off the stem and the base, and remove the seeds. Cut the kabocha halves Contently 2 into C-shaped slices about 1-inch thick. On a sheet pan, toss the kabocha slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread everything evenly over the sheet pan. On a second sheet pan, toss the drained chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Spread everything evenly over the sheet pan. Roast the kabocha and chickpeas for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping the kabocha wedges and shaking the chickpeas halfway through.
2. Make the kale salad.
Use your hands to pull the fibrous kale stems from the leaves. Discard the stems.
Thinly slice the leaves. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Massage the kale leaves with dressing until they are very soft, for about 2 minutes. Shave or grate the Parmesan cheese, and toss it into the salad.
3. Serve.
Divide the kale salad onto plates or shallow bowls, and top each one with roasted kabocha and chickpeas.
Kids Can!
- Toss kabocha and chickpeas with oil and curry powder.
- Remove kale leaves from stems.
- Juice lemon.
- Massage kale salad.
